Stefanie is a huge part of Career Club DK’s DNA and our history. She created the website from scratch and was one of the first Advisory Board members. She is a highly skilled Learning Consultant, teaching educators how to teach better. She moved to Denmark for her studies in 2018, and work-life balance is one of the things she cherishes about living here.
Where do you come from and what motivated you to come to Denmark?
I am originally from Cyprus and I moved to Denmark back in 2018 for my Masters in E-Business at Copenhagen Business School. A friend that has been studying at CBS, told me that CBS is one of the best business schools in Europe and that they are really open to international students. Also the danes speak English very well so I thought I would not have trouble communicating here. Which turned out to be the truth. As soon as I arrived, I always felt welcomed in Danish society and got to meet people from all over the world.
Coming from a sunny country like Cyprus, the only thing that I may have struggled with in the beginning were the dark, dark, long winter nights. I can finally say that after 3 years I have finally learned how to embrace winter and that also made me appreciate every season.
What inspired you to become a learning consultant?
My educational background is a blend of Marketing and Digitalization so at a first glance, being a learning consultant may come as a surprise to some but it was only a natural progression of my professional development.
For a few years, I worked as a student assistant at Copenhagen Business School where I was mostly involved in projects related to video production and learning technologies. As I honed my skills in digitalization, I discovered my passion for web design and started offering my services as a side hustle, creating beautiful and functional WordPress websites for clients. You can explore some of my work on my web design portfolio. Throughout the years, my role at CBS evolved, and I got more and more responsibilities in my hands. Amid the pandemic, institutions acknowledged the importance of technology and instructional support, which gave birth to my current role as a learning consultant.
What I love about my job is that the learning never stops. I am always on my feet trying to update my skills and stay current with the latest technologies and learning theories
Tell us about your experience in building a career in Denmark?
My experience so far in Denmark building a career is rather positive but I am still at my very early stages which makes it more difficult to draw concrete conclusions.
I think I was also at an advantage being a student at a danish university, so in some way I was already integrated into the culture until I got my now permanent job. I must admit that networking still played a role in my progression so I strongly advise people to build their professional network either by LinkedIn, relevant industry events or communities like Career Club DK.
How do you find the working culture in Denmark compared to your own?
I was very surprised about the flat hierarchy and how everyone has a voice in any kind of decisions. The foundation of the society is built on trust so from the first day I was hired I felt trusted even If nobody really knew me. There is no micromanaging as I would expect in my homecountry Cyprus and so you have the freedom to use your time how you want.
Work-life balance is also big in Denmark as well and companies make sure that employees are satisfied. We talk openly about well-being and we are encouraged to respect our time beyond work hours. That was all new to me.
What is your advice to all women building a career in Denmark?
My advice is to take professional networking seriously as this is the most efficient way to progress in your career or get a new job. Many job listings out there will never make it to the bigger job portals. The smaller the company is, the higher the possibility they hire people from within their network.
I would also encourage you to join a union. You normally pay a small fee but If you are new in the country, they will advise you on a number of topics such as salary negotiation, contracts, etc. They will also inform you on your rights and back you up in case you have any disputes with your employer.
What does Career Club DK mean to you and how it can help other aspiring women?
Career Club became my go-to networking community where I get to interact with fantastic, diverse and talented ladies from all over the world in a very casual and informal setting. I have seen many ladies getting jobs via the network or building meaningful friendships so there is a win for everyone.
Stefanie Konstanta is a Career Club DK Advisory Board Member Alumna & a Learning Consultant
Connect with Stefanie on LinkedIn
Author
Nischa Don Maak
Founder of Career Club DK
Career Coach
Website www.careercatwalk.dk
Connect with Nischa on LinkedIn!
