Ten years in Endava, three Delivery Units and switching from Service Desk Engineer to Test Consultant and Scrum Master, are surely great achievements that would make anyone proud. For Monica, it seems to be only the beginning. Between juggling so many roles and responsibilities, she learnt that failure doesn’t exist, it’s just simply a matter of trying again. 

But what are the experiences that shaped her throughout the years? Let’s find out in the interview below.

How did the journey in Endava begin for you?

Right after getting my BA in English and Norwegian, I was offered a job in Bucharest to work in sales for Nordic countries.  After thinking about it, I had a feeling that I would be able to achieve a better work-life balance and enjoy work more if I went back home, to Cluj. Luckily, Endava had opening jobs for service desk engineers in Cluj-Napoca and I took that as a sign. I went for an interview, and after some careful consideration, I made the decision (possibly the best life decision) to move from sales to IT. 

You worked in 3 different DUs – Cluj, Bucharest and Brasov. How would you describe the experience and how did it impact your professional development?

I am lucky and grateful for all the amazing people I met in every office I worked at. They have all contributed to my development and helped me become the person I am today. Having moved through several DUs and even more office buildings, I can say that, for me, Endava feels like home everywhere. No matter what office you walk into, you will always be encouraged to grow and reach your goals. Moving from Cluj to Bucharest and then to Brasov enabled me to better understand the company’s soul and vision, include it in my professional life and share it with others.

I am also really proud and grateful to have witnessed Endava grow into the company it is today: people-oriented, innovative, but most of all focused on establishing relationships based on trust and delivering the best possible results to our customers. 

Could you share with us some highlights of your career until now?

I started as a Service Desk engineer within a team of highly skilled people offering 24/7 support services. Most of us did not have any background in IT but that made us even more eager to catch up and learn, constantly trying to help our customers. After a few years, I felt it was time to try something else, so I applied for a testing position. I was certain that my passion for problem-solving would enable me to perform well in the Testing discipline.

As a tester, I was involved in a wide range of projects across different business domains. I learned a lot about the delivery lifecycle of a project, and I had the chance to observe numerous leadership patterns. I broadened my knowledge about Agile and discovered the difference between theory and practice. Encouraged by the people I worked with, I gradually moved towards the position of Scrum Master, which I find extremely rewarding. 

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I am very proud to have been part of the first Scrum team formed in Endava Brasov. We joined the account for a logistics customer and delivered a release consisting of critical core functionalities at the end of 7 months of hard yet really rewarding work in which we learnt to tackle any challenge and transform it into an opportunity. 

Tell us a bit about what drives your career…

Impediments! I thrive in environments where obstacles are put in front of me, encouraging me to find diverse possibilities of overcoming them. The greater purpose is to ensure the team works in a productive and pleasant atmosphere while also bringing positive changes to the customer’s delivery process. 

Who were the people who had the most impact on your career over time? How did they influence your evolution? (generally speaking)

I am honestly grateful to have worked with very skilled people throughout the years but if I were to nominate one of the great professionals that influenced my career so far, I would mention Bogdan Moscaliuc. He is one of the main reasons I am in Endava today. He changed my outlook on management in a corporation through his honest, people-oriented working style. I admire his trust, empathy, positive energy and ability to enable people to grow. My family has also had a great say in my evolution, especially when it came to inspiring me to build self-confidence and embrace who I am. 

Tell us a bit about yourself outside work. What do you like to do, which are your passions? 

I’ve been passionate about music, movies, books, sports, nature, an eco-friendly lifestyle throughout the years. These days I dedicate a lot of my spare time to cooking healthy and delicious dishes, experimenting with a wide variety of ingredients and recipes. With the pandemic as a driving force, I plan to also explore gardening in the next period.

How would you describe yourself? 

Scrum Master. Mother. Committed.

What is the most valuable lesson you learned in life and would like to share with others?

Embrace challenges and grow from the lessons learned in the process of overcoming them. If you fail, don’t hold it against yourself, simply try again.