"MTOP to me means people, even if not from the same country, can offer a lot from their international experience,  can add value and contribute a lot. "

 

Beim #MTOPstorytelling erzählen unsere Associates ihre Geschichte. Wie war für sie das Ankommen in Österreich, was war schwierig und wie sind sie damit umgegangen?

Ruchi Dwivedi

What’s your name, how old are you and where are you from?

My name is Ruchi Dwivedi, I am originally from India. I came to Vienna approx. 6 years ago.

What did you study in your home country? 

I have a Bachelor of Commerce, and a Master in Foreign Trade - today called International Trade.

What was your biggest challenge after coming to Austria and how did you deal with it?  

My biggest challenge was the language. I have always worked with English. I lived in Norway, Sri Lanka, I traveled a lot and have been to China, to Singapur, and everywhere I was able to survive with English.

Therefore I would say, my biggest challenge was to integrate myself and to learn the language. In the beginning I thought I would survive with my English skills, but then as I talked to more and more people , I realized that German is the foremost language used in Offices and Businesses and I decided to learn German. I really saw a big  advantage in learning German, , I learnt a lot about local market, culture and it  became easy to integratI felt more comfortable in this country

 After some time I started meeting local people and continuously learnt language for 8 months. That helped me. I was able to speak in restaurants and supermarkets. As I am a very open person I started speaking quickly.
In my opinion it is important to speak to gain confidence. This is what I did, I started speaking and networking to expand my knowledge, my boundaries, especially to get into the market.

How did you find out about MTOP? (How) did the programme support you?

I found MTOP in 2020/21. I had a career coach and his advice was to have a mentor. I hadn’t thought about that earlier.
He said he knows a private initiative which is called MTOP. Then I researched MTOP, contacted them and was enrolled in February 23. I researched the organization and read the stories. I saw the people, the different nationalities. I also checked the management and saw multicultural people again. I got positive vibes when looking at the website.
That time I was attending my B2 German class and a local logistic course and I thought that with all 3 things combined, I could be successful.

I didn’t know about interview practices and the labor market in Austria before. The only thing I was trying to find was ONE local hand to share my resume, to give me information about the job market, to teach me interview practice. I was getting ready, but needed someone to tell me about the issues I had.

The partner program of MTOP is amazing. MTOP has professionals inside who know the job market and are really accurate about the job market. Whatever I wanted to ask about, they have got the answer. With MTOP, I could practice and it’s very comfortable. I could share even my sorrows with them.

What did you do after the Associate Programme? What are you currently doing? 

In the middle of the Associate Program I got an offer and right now I am working with Coca Cola HBC as a Process Optimization Specialist. I am optimizing the processes, and this is something I really wanted. In this position you need all the skills like leadership, decision making, project management. I came from a different industry, and this industry FMCG is  new for me in terms of scope, scale and  product.
It’s a fast paced atmosphere, I can start new projects, the job provides me with decision making opportunities. 

I wanted to join Coca Cola, because it is a pioneer of soft drinks and it is FMCG. Volume, product and capacity wise there is a lot new to explore and to learn.

What is different in Austria compared to the working environment in your home country? 

Here you have a lot of freedom to choose what you want to do. The job description is well specified and the work environment is well organized. I have worked as a Freelancer in Vienna and I could say from my experience that in Austria individual achievements and skills are most valued and are important for your professional growth. One more thing is a little different in Vienna, Organizations here love certificates and recommendation letters.

"Don’t give up, even if the pace is slow. Try continuously, do not worry about the pace. Here things could take time!"

What has been the biggest challenge ? in your life since you have started working? 

It’s not a challenge, but  I can say that if I knew fluent German, I would have felt more comfortable. Currently, I am able to talk well and read,write, express and I have already given a presentation in German. But fluency in German or speaking like a Pro, feeling extremely comfortable with a language  boosts confidence.

What are your next goals? 

My goal is again to integrate myself completely in this role and in future to have more opportunities in this area, to learn more about logistics and supply change management in Austria and learn more and more German.

I have now started speaking German naturally, and now  it is becoming a habit, part of my life.

Do you have a profile on LinkedIn and did you use LinkedIn for your job search? Why do you think it's good to have a LinkedIN profile? How helpful was the LinkedIn platform for you during your job search and why?

Yes, I have a profile since I was working in India. I use it a lot, it is a great international platform to connect with people. I am part of various groups, networking has no boundaries in LinkedIn.
I also started to join the LinkedIn courses, some of them are free. For example, I learned about SAP. You can get an orientation on any tool, any topic, any subject sitting at the comfort of your home, which I think is really great. The videos are short and concrete. If you take a course on Linkedin, it adds to your profile and it gives your profile a boost.
I use it, I promote it and I support it.

What tip or advice would you give to people who are new in Austria?

My first year in Vienna I learned a saying  and later it became one of my mottos: IMMER AM BALL BLEIBEN! I heard it somewhere and I was so influenced by it.
I would tell people you should not give up. I have seen people giving up German, because German is too difficult. Giving up the job search, because it is too difficult. I strongly suggest people who have moved to Austria and want to professionally integrate - Don’t give up, even if the pace is slow. Try continuously, do not worry about the pace. Here things could take time!
Further, Please learn the language. It helps you with your integration. People will be more open if you know German. And  I cannot stress enough on networking. Go and talk to people, attend workshops, just be out somehow in a professional atmosphere.
For example, Wirtschaftskammer organizes a lot of workshops. It is free, you go there, talk to people, network.

And what does ‘More Than One Perspective’ mean to you? 
MTOP to me means people, even if not from the same country, can offer a lot from their international experience,  can add value and contribute a lot. The companies have to understand that people from other countries and cultures can contribute through their  international experience.

Life Motto:

"Keep on learning, exploring,  experiencing and obliterate the boundaries."

I follow this motto that whatever is the situation, life keeps happening, life keeps moving, life keeps opening new avenues.    Go slow if you want, pause for a while, relax if it is too hard, however “to Stop” is something which should not happen. We should not stay in our comfort zone.. Come out of your comfort zone, keep on trying, exploring, keep experiencing!