Today we are pleased to introduce you Magda from Poland. She attended the last two employability Study Visits in Warsaw and Lisbon. After these experiences, she applied and got an internship in Accenture, one of the companies visited.
A success story, for a young student with a lot of good energies and a very positive attitude. Read the interview!
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to participate in our interview! Tell us a bit more about yourself. Who are you, where are you from, what do you study?
My name is Magda and I come from the capital city of Poland - Warsaw. I’m a second year student in Computer Science at the Warsaw University of Technology.
Great! We know that you are also taking part in a student program at Accenture. Tell us more about what you’re doing! How did you find out about this opportunity in Accenture?
After the EucA event I took part in I started constantly checking the websites of the companies visited to find new opportunities in programming for students like me. I applied with Accenture, I went through the recruitment process, and I got into the program! I’m very glad because it is different from the knowledge we usually get from our lecturers at university. It is more practical! The workshops started in February and will last till June, twice a week. The main goal is to learn how to design mobile apps for iOS.
How did you meet EucA?
The Warsaw University of Technology, my University, hosted the EucA group for Employability Study Visit in Warsaw, last October. I found out about the program and totally liked the idea of the Study Visit: know the business world inside out, have fun and travel abroad! When the next opportunity came out, I decided without hesitation to take part in the latest Employability Study Visit in Lisbon.
The Lisbon Employability Study Visit was your first EucA event. Tell us about it! What did you like? What did you learn from it? Would you recommend it to students like you?
I liked it a lot! It was an amazing opportunity for students to travel, meet new people and at the same time find out about opportunities which potential employers can offer. Every company we visited was connected to my field of studies. The most interesting part was meeting the companies that presented their internal organisations, their selection processes, and their open positions. I would definitely recommend it! I’m going to take part in one more event for sure.
What do you like the most about the program in Accenture?
What I love at Accenture is the atmosphere in the office because everyone is incredibly friendly and patient. You can ask many times and they are happy to repeat and explain one more time. Furthermore every meeting brings me thousands of new information so I learn a lot.
What would you say are the most important soft skills required today?
I think the most important things are good communication skills and having a positive attitude. Employers want employees who will be friendly to others, eager to work, and generally a pleasure to be surrounded by.
Do you have any suggestions for young students or graduates that would like to work for big companies like Accenture?
My essential advice would be to don’t think too much when you’re about to apply for a position. Don’t waste time doubting yourself or if you will get it or not. Even if you are not certain of the level of your skills and the interview scares you, apply! . Even if it fails, it's a new experience, you’ll understand in what you can improve and what to focus on next time. Once I heard a story about a woman who applied for Google. Unfortunately they rejected her but she didn’t give up and worked on her weaknesses for one year. Now she is working at Google.
What’ s your motto and why?
"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary."
I think to achieve whatever you want you have to work hard, focus on your goals and never give up.
How are you and Poland dealing with the COVID-19 emergency? Is it difficult to balance the work and study load from home? What do you usually do during your time and home and do you have any advice on how to survive this quarantine?
The situation is not appalling in Poland but Polish people have taken the emergency very seriously. Generally people stay at home if it’s possible. As for me, it’s hard to change my lifestyle. I’m usually not more at home than I am now. Fortunately, online and from-remote classes in case of my studies are not a problem, because usually we work on the computer. To survive I learn new things, keep my positive attitude while watching American series like “Friends” and plan my future trips for when the whole situation will be over.
Do you also want to experience a story like Magda? Tell us your story! We will be happy to share it!
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