Kandidatporträtt: Indu Yekkala på Consafe Logistics

We met with our consultant, Indu, and her employers, Brita Ohlin & Tommi Arminen, at Consafe Logistics in Lund for some questions. Here’s the result:

Indu, working as a System Developer at Consafe Logistics:

Could you tell us a bit more about your job?

I work on various technologies at Consafe including Machine Learning, Python programming and C#. This job provides me with a great platform to enhance my knowledge and skills in Machine Learning with real world problems. In such a short time (2 months), I learnt a lot about git, efficient ways of coding and am also able to contribute well in the team.

Was it hard for you to get used to the Swedish ways of working?

No, even though initially I felt the Swedish ways of of working a bit different from what I experienced in my country, I got used to it quickly. I started to like the Swedish way of working which includes: Colleagues are very friendly and helpful, companies provides us time to learn the system. Last but not least is the importance given to work life balance and the family/humanitarian values.

Was it similar to what you were used to or did you notice any difference?

No, Swedish ways of working is different from what I experienced in my earlier company. While both of them provided avenues for me to learn the system, what I observed and liked here is the fact that there is a flexibility. Other setup like ”fika” which provides the opportunity to interact with my colleagues is also a nice culture.

How long ago did you move to Sweden?

I moved to Sweden in December 2018.

What was the primary reason why you chose to move to Sweden?

Due to family considerations, I had to move to Sweden. Our son has a rare eye allergy making it tough for him to stay in hot and dusty environment. After a bit of research, we chose Sweden, a country that fulfilled our needs both regarding weather and cultural environment, a place where we would like our kid to be raised in.

Was it easy to find a job? How long did it take?

No, it is not easy to find a job in Sweden. But working with Novare Potential accelerated my job search and I was able to get this job within 4 months after joining Novare Potential.

What did you use to do before you moved from India?

I used to work as an Assistant Professor and programmer at an Autonomous Engineering college in India.

How did Novare Potential help you?

Indu attended Novare Potential’s accelerated learning program, Software Development Academy, which is arranged in collaboration with KTH 2 times every year. In this 16 week course, the participants learn how to code within the latest technologies. After more than 500 hours of active coding the candidates get supported by Novare Potential in their job search. Read more about Software Development Academy here.

Attending Software Development Academy helped me to move from being a professional with academic background to an IT-industry ready professional. They taught me on how real-world problems are solved in a team environment using latest agile methodologies. Emphasizes on individual contribution to achieve project goals. In a short span of time, we had a good understanding of different technologies. Another important aspect what I observed during Software Development Academy is accessibility to the mentors. They are very knowledgeable and ready to help us whenever needed. This helped us in completing our assignments in the right time and while working on group projects.

What are you planning to do in the future?

I will continue to work and improve not only my technical skills but also my leadership skills and domain understanding. In short term, I would like to become Subject Matter Expert in the area, where I am working. In the long run, I aim to become Solution Architect. I would also like to improve my Swedish.

What kind of advice would you give to newcomers?

I would suggest the following for newcomers:

Always strive to learn as much as you can, when you have the opportunity.

In addition to learning a new technology, understand how it is being used in the real world context.

Try to get updated with latest technologies.

Create your portfolios with projects in various forums like Github etc. Be confident and honest during your interviews.

Do a research on the company and clearly understand the roles and responsibilities being offered before you go for the interview.

Brita, Chief People Officer, at Consafe Logistics:

What kind of qualities and skills do you look for in your employees?

Attitudes and behaviors are in focus when we hire. Of course some basic qualifications and skills required for the job are also factors we take into account. We strongly believe that culture is one of the strongest things we as a company can compete with, both when it comes to hiring but also towards our business competitors. Culture is built up by peoples behaviors and attitudes. Curiosity, humbleness, willingness to learn and adapt and a strive to continuously do better are qualities that we look for in recruitment.

What was it that Indu did or said to make you think she is the right fit for the job?

Indu was very open and curious in our interview. We met the first time at an event held by Novare Potential to get introduced to the participants of their software development program. She was very keen on talking to us and sent out lots of positive energy. She has a very interesting background within AI and Machine Learning which is becoming more and more important for our future.

Did Indu live up to your expectations?

As the Covid-19 pandemic hit just when Indu started her contract with us, and most people have been working from home since, it has obviously been a very uncommon situation to be onboarded. Even though circumstances have been far from perfect, we think Indu has handled the challenges in a very good way. She has had a good start, and we are confident that she will grow to be a valuable contributor in our R&D team.

Why did you decide to collaborate with Novare Potential and are you happy with the outcome?

To us it was a no brainer. We have previous good experience from working with initiatives similar to this one and we have also found very talented employees through these programs. I believe that we all need to look into alternative ways to find talent.