Raluca Coroi joined Stefanini 11 years ago, as a Junior Analyst, before progressing into a variety of roles, including Business Analyst, Software Development Coordinator and BI Specialist. We caught up with Raluca to discuss the opportunities for growth at Stefanini, including the chance to work with different people on a variety of projects and technologies, as well as the importance of a supportive environment and constant learning opportunities.
Our <Stories in brackets> series spotlights our Application Delivery Center colleagues, giving them the space to share their career journey and learnings. Raluca’s interview is the fourth in the series, which showcases the human stories behind the lines of code and shines a light on what life at Stefanini involves.
Why did you choose to join Stefanini?
I actually prefer to think that it was Stefanini that chose me! I joined soon after graduating from university, when I was determined to find a job and applied for every role I found interesting that was in some way related to what I’d studied. This included a project at Stefanini for Invest Europe, which is an association that represents the private equity and venture capital communities across Europe.
When I was invited for an interview, I hadn’t been able to find the job listing so only knew the company name, which I’d been told over the phone. I arrived with all the information about the company and not the specific project. When I was asked what I knew about the project, I started talking about Stefanini’s history!
Fortunately, this didn’t count against me and I had a really good discussion with Dan Magirescu, who became my first manager, and who spoke engagingly about the role, which played a big part in me accepting the job.
How have you evolved professionally within the company so far?
I started as a Junior Analyst working on the Invest Europe project, before becoming a coordinator within the Software Development team – centralizing change requests and bugs reported on the private equity database and managing their implementation on the online platform. When the project grew, rebranded and the client wanted to change the online platform, I became the Business Analyst in the development phase and afterwards Software Development Coordinator for the electronic data collection project. Last year, I decided it was time to move in another direction and I was lucky to find another project within the company that challenged me, so I took the opportunity and I am currently a BI Specialist (QA tester) on a project for a data center management company. I left an amazing team and project and found another amazing team and project.
The transition during this entire period was not difficult at all, as I had a technical background so it was normal for me to move to the development area. On the other hand, switching from being the one who was answering questions, for Invest Europe, to being the new team member asking for help, for the current project, took some adjustment, but the support provided by the team helped me improve my skills.
What are the most important things that you have learned here?
That is a tough question because there are so many things that I have learned on both a professional and personal level. I learned to trust myself and that I have a voice if I want to shape the way we deliver results for clients. I also learned what my personal values are and that it’s fair to say you’ve given your all on a project and that you are ready for another challenge – and that this can be mutually beneficial for the company and the employee.
As for Stefanini values, I believe that the most important ones are integrity, believing in people and treating people with respect. I identify with these values and I can see them demonstrated in other people’s behavior as well.
What do you like most about working at Stefanini?
The best thing about my time at Stefanini is I’ve never felt I have nothing else to learn. I read somewhere that if an employee works at a company for more than two years, they might be considered change-resistant and will have difficulties adapting to working elsewhere. That doesn’t match up with my experience. I’ve spent 11 years at Stefanini and I got to this stage because I always felt challenged, took on different responsibilities, shifted projects, and constantly adapted to new situations. I got all of this while in a familiar environment, with people I knew and respected. What can be better than that?
Also, employee well-being is a key priority at Stefanini: we’ve found ways to boost team spirit even during the pandemic, with virtual team-building events, alongside various benefits and different initiatives that make Stefanini more than just a place to work. Even if it sounds cliché, Stefanini feels like my home away from home.
What advice would you give to a new Stefanini employee?
Being new anywhere can be daunting so I’d just reassure them that they are becoming a member of a family. I’d also advise them not to be afraid to grow because you will find people to support you every step of the way. Don’t be afraid to be a change maker, you will be listened to and your perspective will be valued. And most importantly: try the massage services!
What advice would you give to other Stefanini colleagues when it comes to building a success story here?
Based on my own story, I’d say never be afraid to ask for help that supports your growth, whether that’s through being introduced to people specialized in what you are interested in, experimenting with a new tool, or participating in a course. If you need a new challenge, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find it at Stefanini.
Because we are part of a versatile company, working with open-minded people across many different projects, industries and technologies, we have incredible opportunities to learn and grow here.
Want to be our next success story? At Stefanini, we’re always interested in hearing from talented candidates across all levels of experience. You can browse our current EMEA vacancies, here.
