Two years after its official inauguration, the Engineering Center Sofia, established by Bosch, has tripled in size and opened a new second office, located on two floors in the newly built Synergy Tower of Sofia Tech Park.

The Center adds 17 meeting rooms, 12 focus halls and 8 specialized bench rooms to the office space, and in unison with the policy to provide an inspiring work environment, it offers to the associates gaming halls with table tennis and football, billiards and relaxation zones. The new office is located in an area of ​​nearly 5500 sq. m. The building is constructed according to the latest environmental, technical and energy saving standards.

Over the past year, Bosch Engineering Center Sofia has established its position in the development of many innovative projects and technologies for the automotive industry in areas such as driver assistance systems, automated driving, artificial intelligence and electric mobility. The experts are responsible for the development and testing of more and more functionalities and confirm their good collaboration with the company’s development teams in other Bosch locations around the world.

The aim of the Center is to become a hub, developing complete products, and the logical step to achieve this is to create departments for hardware and mechanical design, in addition to the well-established system and software areas. Konstantin Konov, Managing Director, commented:

„We started in 2019 with smaller projects and currently we are developing complete products. Our team grows with each passing year, our expertise – too. Our goal is to take on more and more responsibility and work in areas of greater applicability, while actively seeking new opportunities.”

Photo Credits: Bosch

Developments for the Future

In the field of the automotive industry, the mission of Bosch Engineering Center Sofia is to ensure safe driving, with care for the environment and the society. There are three main areas in which the specialists invest their efforts and expertise – technologies for driving assistance; vehicle electrification; and connectivity solutions, displays, instrument clusters and cameras that monitor the behavior of the driver and other occupants of the vehicle.

At the beginning of 2021, Bosch brought together globally more than 17,000 engineering experts for developing computers, sensors and control units for all automotive systems into the new division Cross-Domain Computing Solutions. The newly founded unit chose Bosch Engineering Center Sofia as a main partner to shape the future of mobility around the world.

One of the newest assignments for the experts from Bosch Engineering Center Sofia is the work on completely new products on a conceptual level and in a pilot project phase on the so-called zone automotive electronic control units. Their application will allow them to move to a smaller number, but significantly more complex computers with many functionalities. For example, there are currently about 50 computers in a middle-class car responsible for various functions, and with the zonal computers there will be a total of 3-4 to perform all the tasks. These will be devices with quite powerful hardware and several operating systems running on the device simultaneously and independently of each other.

Photo Credits: Bosch

The Engineering Center in Sofia is a strategic partner of the Bosch eBike Systems division. With their expertise, the teams in Sofia demonstrate how can be increased the quality of the development and implementation of new technologies. The Center has activities linked to the creation of each component of the eBikes, starting from the charger and the battery, through the drivetrain, the steering and the display. The contribution of the software engineers to infrastructure solutions and services in the cloud space is significant, as well as to the eBikes connection to the Internet. With care for employee’s development and support for young talents

The Center continues to extend and hire new professionals and by the end of this year their number will increase to over 450. The company demonstrates responsibility and good practices as an employer, offering long-term employmentand education, as well as support in the professional development of its associates.

Bosch ECS Career Camp – the first academy of the Training Center for Software Engineers – was recently launched. The program will provide opportunities to acquire in-depth knowledge and working skills with the latest software technologies for the automotive industry under the mentorship of proven professionals in the field of software development and testing for the automotive industry. The participation in the Bosch ECS Career Camp is free and opens up new career opportunities for all the participants.

Photo Credits: Bosch

The investments in education and development of young talents in the IT field are among the main priorities of Bosch Engineering Center Sofia. Dual training, internship programs, and work with universities are good long-term practices of the Center.
Responsibility to the society

Bosch Engineering Center Sofia supports the educational foundation “Teach for Bulgaria”. This year the Center provided additional equipment and software used for online training and assistance to participants in two of the programs of the foundation. The two organizations continue their cooperation by involving Bosch experts in the Foundation initiative “A New Way of Teaching”.

Guided by its mission to support safety in all areas – both on the road and in the physical activities, this year the Center became a partner in the actions of the Bulgarian Avalanche Organization and purchased a specially equipped snowmobile to support the prevention and the safe practice of mountain sports.

Recognition for the achievements

Bosch Engineering Center Sofia was awarded a Class A Investor Certificate from the Ministry of Economy for sustainable investments, creation of new jobs and implementation of high technologies for the automotive industry. The company was awarded the statuette Golden Bull at the 15th Annual Awards “Investor of the Year”. This year the company took first place in the Technology Excellence section of the Annual awards “Company of the Year”, and with its project “Future driving – safe and with care for the environment and society” was awarded in the most contested category – “Investor in Community” at the Annual Responsible

Business Awards 2020. The Center is among the winners of the Career Show Awards 2021 in four categories and is among the finalists in one of the most contested categories “Best Employer in the IT Sector”.

Magdalena Gamisheva, a Director of Sales at CLICO Bulgaria, is a remarkable lady who loves the sea and fulfils the culinary desires of everyone around her. She thinks that success depends on many factors. Regarding the problem of gender inequality, Magdalena says that it is not so relevant in Bulgaria. She thinks that every manager running a company should evaluate the qualities of her/his candidates and employees, based on their competencies, and not on their gender. Magdalena adds that although we have grown as a society, we still define certain responsibilities as typical female or male hence we should work towards developing and stimulating professional characteristics in people, regardless of their gender. According to her, a woman’s vision and charm sometimes help. However, she definitely can’t say that someone would make a key decision just because a woman is standing in the front. She shares with us that it is difficult for her to separate personal from professional life because she is constantly considering everything. In addition, she says that this characteristic attributes to the fact that she enjoys her work and accepts it as a constant inspiration. Magdalena is a professional, but also a perfectionist – she wants everything to be impeccable in the best way possible. She adds that for her the working day has no time frame. Her advice is to find something that takes us away from the daily routine for a while and makes us live in the present. Magdalena shares that she is pleased to work with such a great team and can’t wait for the numerous exciting days that await them.

“Closing a deal is like a game of chess – you think a few steps ahead.”

Share something about yourself that we can’t find on LinkedIn.

I have a dog – a Czechoslovakian wolfhound, who has recently become part of our family and fills our lives with lots of laughter, games and smiles. I love the sea, I love to drive, and I don’t want to sound immodest, but I am a good driver;)… And last but not least once a week I fulfil the culinary desires of the team 🙂

Have you ever faced challenges in your career regarding the fact that you are a woman?

It sometimes happens during the initial contacts with foreign companies. There is a lack of trust, even a hint of underestimation, but once you respond with professionalism, experience and knowledge, you can very quickly change this attitude.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

Yes, and this motivates me, even more, to develop myself as a professional to improve my knowledge every day. According to Eurostat, 42% of the management positions in Bulgaria are held by women. Another study on “The best countries in Europe for women’s work”, assessing economic equality, women in leadership positions and attitudes towards motherhood, ranks Bulgaria first. I believe that success depends on many factors, so the second study is more comprehensive. There is still work to be done as a society, but we are in the right direction and we will achieve it step by step.

Read More Inspiring Stories for Women in Tech in WRTech here.

Do you think that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

In some regions of the world, it is especially relevant. Perhaps, in Bulgaria, not so much. In my opinion, every manager running a company should evaluate the qualities of his/her candidates and employees, based on their competencies, and not on the basis of gender. And although we have grown as a society, we still define some responsibilities as typical female or male. We should work towards developing and stimulating professional qualities in people who have a passion and desire for development, no matter if they are men or women.

Do women’s vision and charm help you be successful in a professional way?

You know what they say: “By clothes, they welcome, by mind they send.” Viewed in this light – yes, sometimes it helps, but I definitely can’t say that someone would make a key decision just because a woman is standing in front.

What policies does your company follow regarding encouraging diversity?

We are definitely looking for diversity in appointments because we want CLICO to be a place where different people build a team and work together without prejudices and dividing lines between them. We want to have freedom for personal and professional development.

How do you get along with men in your company? Do they treat you differently?

You have to ask them. 🙂 I don’t feel any different attitude.

How do you balance your work with your personal life? Are there any rules that you follow?

Perhaps combining personal and professional life would be easier if I could switch off from work during my spare time. It’s hard for me because I’m constantly thinking about everything. But I attribute this to the fact that my work brings me inspiration and I truly like it. Also, the perfectionist in me wants everything to be perfect.

Which sources would you recommend to us? (podcasts, webpages, influencers, YouTubers, etc.)

Darknet Diaries, the blogs of our vendors, and they are not plenty, given the rich portfolio of CLICO, Gartner (both the rankings for various solutions and analyzes for future focus solutions), SANS Institute, of course, and Bulgarian – Internet speaks, The voice of Capital, Money speaks. In the rest of my free time, I prefer to be accompanied by a good book.

“My work brings me inspiration and I truly like it”

What does the profession of Director of Sales in a company offering IT security solutions look like? How does your workday go? What inspired you to focus on the technology industry?

It is the combination of many qualities, some of which are responsibility, initiative, diplomacy, organizational and commercial skills, finding new customers and maintaining the satisfaction of the current ones, supporting the team. We need constant updating of knowledge and awareness of new trends – “lifelong learning” is our daily routine. This is one of the reasons to focus on the technology industry. It is undergoing rapid development and there is a constant need for new solutions that support the business, as well as those that protect it and contribute to its security and smooth operation. A successful cyberattack inflicts a lot of visible and invisible damage on the company and sometimes leads to direct losses for the business, which are recovered, if at all, for months or even years.

What qualities are required for someone to “close” a deal successfully? Do these qualities depend on gender?

Not by gender, but by experience. Closing a deal is like playing chess – you should think a few steps ahead. You anticipate all the factors that could tip the scales and make timely decisions. But the most important thing is to prepare your homework and be sure that what you offer to the client is the right thing for them. So they will have one less headache and be calmer with the investment he has made. Of course, sometimes you may not succeed, but analyzing everything that happened and went wrong will help in the future.

“We need constant updating of knowledge and awareness of new trends – “lifelong learning” is our daily routine“

How and where should boundaries between the working day and the life after that be created, when everything happens in one place? Can you give some good practices and tips as an example?

Personally, I can’t set a limit, but I don’t want it anyways. When work excites you and is close to your nature, you have no desire for putting any boundaries. The working day has no time frame, but you should think of different ways to achieve your goals. Tips and good practices… um… I would tell everyone – find something that takes you away from the daily routine for a while and makes you live here and now, to quench the storm of incoming thoughts and worries. For some, it’s sports, walking, spending time with loved ones, reading, music, or doing anything (dolce far niente). For me, yoga turned out to be a practice for unloading – time for myself, time without thoughts, time for the here and now.

What does it mean to be a director at CLICO Bulgaria? How does your workday go?

The CLICO team is growing, even during the last difficult year, we hired several new colleagues. The results of the company and the trust of our customers are a marker for the success of the whole team. My working day is constant – getting up before 6, going to bed late at night (and sometimes it haunts me in my dreams). You are constantly thinking in different directions – both over the common goals and the way to achieve them, and in-depth for a specific challenge you are facing. I am pleased to work with such a cohesive and purposeful team and I am sure that many more exciting days await us.

If You Want to Read More Inspiring Stories for Success and Professional Growth Join the DevStyleR #Tech Influencers Community and Get Access to our Special Editions here.

Maria Marinova, Business Development Lead, TSD Software

Meet Maria Marinova, а Business Development Lead in the eDiscovery line of TSD Software, part of TSD Group. She has been part of the TSD team for over 7 years and has walked a long way on her career path in the company. Maria started as a junior QA analyst at the main office of TSD in Troyan without any previous experience in the IT field. However, she quickly picked up speed and started to get herself trained as a software developer. Building up vast technical skills as well as rich industry-specific expertise, Maria assumed a position in the Business Development department of the company.

In her opinion, women’s appearance does not affect their professional success. She thinks that being positive, open-minded and approaching business contacts with a smile will always help in our communication. Maria is quite ambitious and some time ago she used to find it really challenging to separate her professional life from her personal life. She is very thankful to her partner for being so supportive all the time. For the past couple of years, she has been trying to find the balance and now she dedicates more time to activities, weekend trips, and personal time. This is helping her personal life and also makes her more productive at work.

Outside the IT industry when Maria is not working on developing new business ideas, she enjoys reading thriller books, experimenting in the kitchen, climbing high peaks, and visiting various beautiful places in Bulgaria and abroad. Those are the things that get Maria re-charged with energy and enthusiasm for marking further achievements in her career. Today, with many successful projects behind her back, Maria proudly takes the position of a Business Development Lead, being a key responsible figure in the eDiscovery-focused business line of TSD and leading efficient communication with some of the global clients of the company. Maria’s colleagues have praised her with a “diploma” for being a “Restless Hard Worker” due to her inspiring dedication to her profession.

​​“I think that being positive and open and approaching your business  contacts with a smile will always help in your communication, but this is applicable to any person, no matter the gender”

Favourite clothes?

Casual clothes and activewear.

High heels or flat shoes?

Low shoes.

Which typical female quality or household responsibility does not apply to you?

I am not into using makeup every day.

What is THE thing that you must have in your bag when going out?

Right now, it is a bottle of disinfectant, but usually, it is my perfume.

Favourite lipstick colour?

Rose.

Can you share something specific about you that we can’t find on LinkedIn?

I like travelling and one of the main things that I like to do when I’m on a trip is to try the local cuisine. I enjoy trying food from all around the world, and I also love cooking them.

“I am quite ambitious, so I used to find it hard to separate my professional life from my personal life.”

Have you encountered any challenges in your career in connection to being a woman?

I don’t think any of the challenges I have had in my career are related to the fact that I am a woman.

Do you know how many women work in your position?

I don’t have the statistics for that, but I believe there are a lot of bright women in similar positions to mine.

Read More Inspiring Stories for Women in Tech in WRTech here.

What policy does your company follow in terms of promoting diversity?

TSD has always supported and promoted diversity in any of its aspects. For example, the company has welcomed a significant number of employees, both in technical and non-technical positions, no matter their background in terms of education or previous working experience. What the company actually considers important is the motivation, personal qualities, and attitude of the employees, and this approach has proven to be quite successful within TSD.

Do your male colleagues treat you differently?

Definitely not.

Do you think that a woman’s appearance and charm affect her professional success? (For example: does it make communication easier?)

No. In my opinion, women’s appearance does not affect their professional success. I think that being positive and open and approaching business contacts with a smile will always help in communication, but this applies to any person, no matter the gender.

How do you combine personal and professional life? Do you have any rules that you follow?

I am quite ambitious, and some time ago, I used to find it hard to separate my professional life from my personal life. I’m very thankful to my partner for being so supportive all the time. For the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to find the balance. Now I dedicate more and more time to different activities, weekend trips, personal time, and this is helping my personal life, but I’m also more productive in my work.

“I like travelling and one of the main things that I like to do when I’m on a trip is to try the local cuisine.”

Which sources do you follow and can you recommend some of them to our audience? (example: podcasts, pages, influencers, vloggers, etc.).

Since my work is mainly focused on software solutions in the legal sector, I’m very interested in the events happening around that industry. I attend events such as Legalweek and Relativity Fest. Before the pandemic, I was able to at- tend on-site, but currently, people have the opportunity to participate online, which I consider very helpful. I’m interested in all the changes happening in the legal world, so I read a lot of articles from various sources, but as a brief example, I would mention law.com, edrm. net, etc. I follow the news in the field from any sources available. In terms of my interests outside of my job, lately, I’ve been very keen on a healthy lifestyle, so I have subscribed to several YouTube channels related to the topic. I also love stand-up comedy and enjoy watching performances of comedians from Bulgaria and around the globe.

If You Want to Read More Inspiring Stories for Success and Professional Growth Join the DevStyleR #Tech Influencers Community and Get Access to our Special Editions here.

A coding aficionado with a university degree in Engineering, combined with the invaluable encounter with multi-disciplinary cognitive science. Imagine all these qualities put together in a professional who holds a leadership position at an innovative company. Here she is, Elitsa Taskova — Product Owner at Nexo, Bulgaria. She has over eight years of experience in creating and managing software products for major fintech companies. Elitsa has been part of the engineering team since its very beginning and leads key products such as the Nexo Exchange and Earn. Elitsa holds the belief that the most valuable characteristics she has acquired during her academic years are discipline, holistic thinking, confidence and flexibility — mandatory skills for the dynamics in the crypto industry. She strives to plan her workday before it even begins and sets realistic goals — the only way to gain more than a few productive hours. Her personal discipline is the key to a balanced lifestyle. She is convinced that when you are forging the path of limitless, deflationary finance, there should be only one team as the goal is of utmost importance. As driven as she is, Elitsa adds that in Bulgaria the IT environment is still dominated by men but this can be changed easily with more focused education programs and resources, shared professional experience, mentoring and personal example. According to her, the problem with gender inequality has not been relevant in progressive companies for a long time. In addition, mass digitization as well as the COVID-19 effects have significantly reduced inequality on a global scale. Elitsa takes pride that in the Nexo team everyone feels like one big family because being through thick and thin creates a strong community. Everyone in her team shares the belief that when you purposefully fight for one idea and you put your heart and soul into the endeavour, gender doesn’t matter. So, when the team’s heart is at the right place, everything’s possible. In her free time, Elitsa likes to read non-fiction literature, explore new ideas and keep an active lifestyle. She tends to often challenge herself, convinced that fortune favours the brave. For experienced professionals like her, the biggest motivation is to be on the top of the game, stay ahead while using the latest technologies to create impactful products.

“I attempt to develop “Humanistic” Qualities – They have no Gender”

Tell us something about yourself we can’t find on LinkedIn.

I’ve studied programming for a while, graduated in Engineering and got short and yet extremely valuable experience with multidisciplinary cognitive science. Perhaps it is that mix of interests and experience that led me to the shoes of Product Owner at Nexo at the time when the company was just starting. Joining Nexo was true serendipity and since then I aspire to constant progress at a tremendous speed. My team and I are responsible for the Nexo Exchange platform which allows immediate exchanges between 100 crypto and fiat pairs, a one-stop-shop for the NEXO Token and other crypto and fiat currencies, as well as other key products — Earn on Crypto & Fiat which allows customers to generate passive income from their assets in the most secure way. I am proud that I’ve been part of the development of what Nexo stands for today — one of the leading crypto companies in the world with signature products that redefined the crypto ecosystem. We created it here in just three years and busted the myth that a Bulgarian company cannot stand side by side with the global visionaries we read about every day. I hope you do realize the significance of our success – we have built and positioned an entirely new business niche with our own products here in Bulgaria. In my free time, I like to read specialized literature, to exchange ideas with my friends – face to face! and to be non-stop on the move.

Have you ever faced challenges in your career for being a woman?

Challenges are questions such as these about shoes and clothes and ‘women-only pros’ sections — they are the ones deepening the divide between co-workers, where in reality there is no such thing. I strongly believe that no matter how you describe yourself, if you truly believe in your ideas and expertise, combined with strong motivation, you can bring them to life and I’m surrounded by like-minded people. Nexo makes you feel you’re always on the right track, mistakes make you ‘antifragile’. This inspires us to strive for greatness beyond the familiar notion of ‘good and safe’. This is the only way we can achieve what we aim for — the Moon. Talking about challenges, honestly, I live and breathe for them, as we all know — fortune favours the brave. In my opinion, this is the only way to grow both personally and professionally. One big step ahead can elevate you all the way to the moon. This is exactly what we do on a daily basis — we tackle challenges and excel ourselves every single day.

Do you happen to know how many women hold a position similar to yours?

Many of the leadership positions are led by women, contrary to popular belief that finance and technologies are areas favoured by men. This also confirms my personal conviction that there’s no gender divide when we work for something bigger than ‘just a job’. Every day all my colleagues leave their mark in history — we push the industry forward and attract more and more like-minded people who have the same goal — a decentralized financial world where sharing economy and digital finance are a catalyst for change. The IT environment in Bulgaria is still dominated by men and, of course, there are a number of reasons for this. However, this can change in the right context and with the necessary resources — education, sharing professional experience, mentoring and, last but not least, personal example. Both individually and as a company, we are debunking this trend. The results are at hand — more and more women join us ambitious to unleash their full potential at Nexo.

Do you believe that the problem with gender inequality still exists in Bulgaria and globally?

It’s been a while since progressive companies haven’t faced this issue. Mass digitization which was accelerated by COVID-19 has reduced unnecessary gender inequality globally. Nexo’s trifold priority is expertise, experience and enthusiasm and the numbers speak volumes — we’ve increased our transactions five times in less than six months reaching $30 billion, while managing assets of over $15 billion. All this is achieved only with the right people — top professionals. Having this in mind, I wish all companies were like ours.

Read More Inspiring Stories for Women in Tech in WRTech here.

What policies does your company encourage regarding gender diversity?

We pride ourselves on the zero discrimination policy — that’s why our team is so diverse. Colleagues of all ages are buzzing around the office. Speaking about my female colleagues, it doesn’t matter whether or not we have children. When schools were shut down due to COVID-19, we set up on the premises a daycare corner for our colleagues’ kids which we jokingly call ‘#cryptodaycare’. It is fascinating (and noisy) to share the workspace with the next generation of crypto enthusiasts.

How do you get along with your male colleagues? Do they treat you in a different way?

Nexo has that authentic family vibe. Supporting one another is a way of work — we’ve been through thick and thin together and this forges an unbreakable bond. Gender really doesn’t matter when one has a clear purpose and puts blood, sweat and tears in the game. This may seem too ambitious but I’m sure it applies to the entire Nexo team.

How do you achieve a work/life balance? Do you follow any rules?

Personal discipline is the key to achieve work-life balance. In terms of my work life in Nexo, first, we take into account our internal schedule and our individual needs and then decide when, where and how to work. That is how we achieve great results and pure productivity. I’m not saying that I am disciplined enough not to spend 10 hours in a row on the computer but I do my best and I have all the prerequisites to achieve my own balance.

Which info sources would you recommend?

I get my regular updates from Twitter, Reddit and various newsletters such as The Block, Coindesk, Decrypt, Robinhood Snacks and Morning Brew. I highly recommend the podcasts The Pomp, What Bitcoin Did and Unchained. Following the pulse of the Bulgarian IT sector is vital, so of course Devstyler and for local crypto chats — Sofia Crypto Meet-up and other groups.

Which specific skills and knowledge from your education – bachelor in telecommunications and master in cognitive science, do you use at your current position as a Product Owner?

Academic institutions provide only what you are willing to take. Personally, in those years I built discipline, holistic thinking, the confidence to cope in a new environment, and adaptability — mandatory skills for the dynamics in the crypto industry. This happens only if you stay enthusiastic about your area of expertise and hungry for knowledge from other fields. Undoubtedly, 21st-century knowledge is a mix of applied academic theory, practical experience and, above all, critically selected information from the sea we all have access to — the internet. Unfortunately, Product Owner-related university curricula are still rare to find but I believe that the profession will become a separate discipline in the future.

What inspired you to pursue a career in fintech?

The biggest motivation for a professional is to ride the wave of innovations and strive to work with the latest technologies in order to create meaningful products — this is what crypto is all about. We prove every day that financial tools are not necessarily exclusive, ineffective, complex and clumsy. This makes the crypto sector even more attractive — we are all equal here and we can bear the fruits technology brings. We’ve already witnessed the advantages crypto brings in our everyday life, however, there is more to see — greater social importance where we put our financial freedom to work for the greater good.

Which is the most important professional quality you’ve developed as a result of your experience in the tech industry?

First and foremost I’m proud that there is a Bulgarian company that takes over the world and I have the opportunity to play an active role in this crusade. In this story, you don’t need to be in California, New York or London to get to the top of the game and to better the lives of millions of people. Getting to know the personal stories of numerous people from across the world builds a certain empathy. Regardless of the context, envиronment, education and career path, the instinct to strive for more stability, more freedom and social wellbeing is deeply rooted in us. This is what binds us all together at Nexo and makes our mission close to our hearts.

“Every day, both men and women leave their marks on history, push the industry forward and attract more and more like-minded people who have similar goals”

How and where should work/life boundaries be drawn given that everything happens at one place? Can you please give us some examples and tips?

Boundaries appear once you accept your own vulnerabilities. And this is a feeling I do not appreciate. We have to be patient with ourselves in order to find our own rhythm, bearing in mind that it might be completely different in two, three or five years. We live in a hectic world that provides us with limitless possibilities, and if we want to enjoy them we have to accept our own limitations. My personal barrier is when I feel like not being the best version of myself. Then I take a breather to rethink my habits. So far, what works best for me is to plan my workday before it begins and set realistic goals, so I can achieve several productive hours, keeping in mind that the plan might change in a heartbeat. I’ve started planning my leisure time with the same enthusiasm and got convinced how important it is to pass the same level of responsibility and attention to detail to our personal lives, too, in order to feel fulfilled and satisfied.

High heels or flat shoes?

Flats, of course. That’s the work of evolution. We even walk barefoot at the office as we value our comfort and freedom.

Which is THE thing you never go out without?

A book. I am currently skimming through ‘the crypto bible’ which was published in Bulgaria, thanks to my colleague George Manolov.

Which is the feminine quality that you don’t possess?

I’m not a slave to stereotypes — one of the reasons I’m in crypto. Even I strive to further enhance more humane qualities.

What cause would you support?

I’d support any cause which breaks the status quo with a constructive purpose in mind.

If You Want to Read More Inspiring Stories for Success and Professional Growth Join the DevStyleR #Tech Influencers Community and Get Access to our Special Editions here.

In traditional programming a developer looks at what the factors are that affect the outcome that the program is attempting to predict, he explained. In the case of a business, it’s what you would put on a spreadsheet and then the programmer implements in code the logic, the relationships among all of these different things, which can be as simple as if expenses go up, then revenue profits will come down or way more complex scenarios between relationships.

Whereas machine learning drops the logic, drops the relationships, and what we know about the relationship, he said. Weinberger also said:

“Machine learning starts off its natural state as a black box because it does not generally have not been designed in order for us to understand it. They are designed in order to produce accurate results. And it turns out that it does so in a way that we can understand great, if not, then we have other challenges. The natural state of a machine learning system is to be a black box. This doesn’t mean we can’t open it up in some ways in some circumstances, this is a problem because the machine learning systems are based upon data, data comes from a society of business, a culture, inevitably it reflects the biases in that culture or a business.”

However, biases are machine learning’s original sin, he explained. Weinberger concluded that its sort of nature is to operate on data. That data is unless we’re extraordinarily careful. It’s very likely to reproduce the biases and machine learning is likely to reproduce and could, can easily amplify those biases.

Hello Sofia, can you introduce yourself in a few words to our international audience?

Hi everyone, thank you Devstyler for the invitation. My name is Sofia Lyateva, I am a wonder junkie who loves her job almost as much as any other adventure. I am a PR professional by default and by definition, but ever since my junior year at the university, I have never stopped exploring the limits of this profession, which is why I suppose I am here today to tell you more about employer branding.

Where do you work, what is your position and your main responsibilities? Can you tell us a bit more about Employer Branding?

I am currently an employer brand and communications expert at Devexperts, an IT company that operates in the fintech industry. I have been developing IT communities and tech company brands for more than 4 years already. I love working with curious tech people which is why I also organize IT communities in my spare time which has nothing to do with work. My job responsibilities are so complex and vast, that you might have a headache if I start listing them one by one. Let’s simply say that employer branding is a dynamic profession to have, for sure. Responsibilities are complex because they require you to work with almost everyone inside the company from CEOs to interns. Also, it requires you to be constantly in touch with external audiences and to make sure that the company has the desired reputation outside as well as inside the organization.  So, basically, my responsibilities cover almost everything in the spectre of  PR, marketing, event management, creative writing and sometimes even HR.

What made you choose a career like this connected to the software industry?

Honestly, I started working as a brand reputation specialist in my senior year at the university in 2014. I was planning it to be just like an internship and then I will go with my masters in the USA and explore the career and what it takes me from there. But yes, life is what happens while you are too busy making other plans, right?

So the client and the company where I was working was a hardware manufacturer, so I went through this technical training, building PCs, which is something that I still can do, FYI.  So I had to know everything about the computer setup but also be a representative of this brand online. I had to do brand reports and keep track of all the tech innovations, regardless if it is a hardware component or a software innovation.

After two and a half years there I decided it was high time for my next adventure. I got through all my exams and I was just a couple of emails away from applying for my Master’s degree in the US. However, the opportunity to become a PR manager at 25 in an IT company was presented to me and I was like: “I must be crazy if I just dismiss this opportunity.” So I decided to dive into the profession and that’s how I started working in IT basically. Employer branding wasn’t even a thing back then. I remember Google-ing how to do public relations in the tech industry and there was nothing, literally no good practices or case studies or anything to help me prepare for my interview. It’s been almost 5 years since then and so many things have changed. Not only In terms of tech, but also in my professional development in IT. This alone says a lot about how progressive and dynamic this industry really is. Anyways, I accepted the challenge and decided that it’s better to learn in practice, rather than just go straight to study some theories and who knows what else.

In the university, everybody used to say that you usually become a PR manager when you go through all these steps in the PR industry journey. I didn’t believe this. I remember going for my first internship in a PR agency after my junior year and I was like “I’m never working in a PR agency again.” However, this didn’t discourage me, I just believed that if I love what I do, then I will definitely make a living out of it. Now, I cannot imagine myself in any other industry but tech! I simply love working with IT people because I enjoy having conversations with curious and intelligent people.

What kind of education and characteristics are required to become a professional in this field?

I believe you definitely have to have a diverse PR/Communications background in order to be a good Employer brand specialist in my opinion. Of course, no PR professional is a bad communicator, so that’s the most important skill – communications and negotiations. I like to joke about it because there’s no other way to explain ROI to senior leadership without these skills. You have to possess these skills especially when you are among the first people doing employer branding in the company. You need to know how to explain the team’s needs to all the tech guys that are usually very keen on using data and seeing actual numbers. Then you have to prove why they need employer branding and how it actually contributes not only to the HR department but also to the strategic development of the company.

So yes, you have to be ahead of the curve, develop the communications and make sure that the rest of the world also gets the message.

What are the tips and tricks of building a successful branding?

The important thing is that brands are supposed to create emotions, this is how you usually build the so-called brand loyalty in customers. You cannot create this without being transparent and honest about who you are and why you are here. I think Jeff Bezos said it best:

“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

What we know so far from life is that the hardest thing in the world is truly being yourself. I believe that this correlation with company and brand development is quite good because when you know who you are and why you are here you have the foundation for successful branding. The best tip I can come up with is just be authentic. Once you know what makes you unique, you can definitely build a successful branding out of it. Maybe you’ve heard about the Golden circles that Simon Sinek talks about and why some companies have the best strategies and others don’t. Those that know their WHY do it best.

What digital tools should we use to help support efforts in employer branding and social media?

In terms of online and digital tools, you definitely should look alive on your social media channels. The best way to use them properly is to do your research and find out where your target audiences are most active. You also have to make sure you establish two-way communication. Other tools that definitely have to be on the list are CRM tools. They are very important for the communication between departments and helping the recruitment team put people in the pipeline. You also need to make sure all your designs and brand visuals are aligned, so develop a brand book and follow it.

Having your own attractive visual identity also helps your brand recognition and communicating your corporate culture properly. There are so many tools nowadays, and I am sure many colleagues will agree with this, but for me, these are the most important ones. Everything else needs a human touch so to speak. It is not something that you can automate.

What are some best practices for reaching tech talent?

Again, proper targeting of that tech talent. I mean you can reach a vast pool of tech talent but are you actually reaching the right people that would fit into your culture? That’s the questionable thing and that’s the point where our team helps HR because this is how you lower the attrition rate. You need to find the proper way to target them and make sure that these people actually associate with the brand and the corporate culture of the company.

Is employer branding more of a communication marketing topic or an HR topic? Who should be in the lead?

It’s not a matter of “either-or” in my opinion. The profession is a super complex mix of both. I believe the future holds a lot of opportunities for the development of employer branding because it only came to be because companies, especially in tech, needed it to be. We have great examples to follow like the industry giants or the innovative spirits of Silicon Valley but a lot more industries will see Employer branding’s worth in the long run.

I believe that 10-15 years from now you will be able to graduate with an employer branding degree and you will be able to explore different career opportunities much like PR professionals do nowadays. The curriculum of this specific degree will be a mix of HR, marketing, PR and also business development because you will need to see the big picture and to know how businesses operate in order to actually develop any sort of strategies for them. When you come to the basics of it, you are still developing a communication strategy, just for a different target audience than those for marketing or sales.

Is there anyone who influenced your career development?

My gut instinct. My career plan definitely changed in the past 5 years. Now I’m just glad to be in a field that has so much potential for development- I speak not only about employer branding because I think the tech industry will unfold many more opportunities for people with no IT competencies. I kind of feel like an innovator because you still can’t read about what we do in the course books at the university. I have never put any limitations on myself, so I might take my career to a whole new level someday. Who knows? 

How do you see the tech industry in 10 years in relation to the market, employees, workplace, diversity, etc?

It’s definitely gonna grow a lot. I surely see almost every tech company having its own chief diversity officer, for example, which is something even newer than employer branding, especially if they strive for growth in diverse markets. I am happy that so many companies see the worth of having diverse teams and do that properly.

As for the future of the workplace?

In my opinion, this is still going to remain in hybrid mode for a while after COVID, so we all will have a lot of work to do coming up with initiatives and employee engagement practices in this remote work atmosphere. However, I believe that the best is yet to come.

DevStyleR will announce soon new research related to Burnout syndrome. How do you find your balance between work and leisure? How many hours per day do you usually work? Has it happened to you to work overtime?

Yes, it happens, every once in a while, but the good thing is that I find ways to compensate. I know myself enough to avoid Burnouts, but sometimes Burnouts are, to be honest, inevitable, especially when you are a productive professional, regardless of the field you operate in. In my opinion, the hack is to notice when burnout is approaching and make sure you avoid it. However, everyone has their own threshold, so I cannot say generally where that line is. The best way to prevent burnout is to be mindful of everything in your life. For example, I would say that on my best days, I am most productive for 4-5 hours, but I usually work 7-8 hours. Having a structured daily routine and a to-do list with priorities definitely helps avoid burnouts.

Moreover, a lot of companies are adopting new methods of employee engagement practices that tackle this issue and it’s important to follow their example. For example, we support the healthy lifestyle of our employees in general, that’s kind of our corporate culture since the beginning of the company. Before COVID, we also had a lot of internal sports communities, which formed kind of “organically”. Now I think companies should focus more on employees’ mental health. These pandemic times definitely made a lot of people feel uncomfortable even from the safety of their homes.

A year ago we started doing a lot of online corporate initiatives that allow our employees to literally “take a breather” from their routine, relax, be in touch with their fellow colleagues and still form communities, even if it’s remotely. For example, tomorrow we are starting an online gaming tournament and we have teams formed from all our locations.

Can you give a “Take-home message” to our audience, how to be successful in the software industry?

To be frank, YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT. There’s no other way to be successful in anything. I think a lot of people go for IT for the wrong reasons. Ok, we know salaries are good for tech people, but once you have that, if you don’t actually love what you do, will you still be fulfilled with your life? I mean we spend over 30% of our life at work, and in my head, it doesn’t make sense to make yourself feel miserable about it.

So find what you love, explore your capabilities, develop new skills and most of all trust your journey. Never stop being curious about yourself and the world around you. I love what I do, I love working with remarkable people, I love contributing to their personal and professional development and I love building amazing tech communities with them.

The best is yet to come for the software industry because now we’re even more dependent on digital products. 

But first, we need to find ourselves and see what makes us truly happy. Maybe you are a university professor, maybe you are the waitress that serves smiles with pizza and muffins but that’s all in service of that higher purpose – to be authentic and know why you are here.