An interview with BSc Management alumna Natalia Dobias

Natalia shares her experience of studying BSc Management at WBS and explains what she enjoys most about her role at Microsoft. 

What inspired you most throughout your time at WBS?
Studying at Warwick Business School is a steep learning curve, which at the end provides a springboard for your career and life. Every day, you learn something new, discover something you didn’t know before, you meet new people, improve and grow. The notion of my personal transformation was the driver throughout my time at Warwick.

Were you a member of any SU clubs or societies?
At the end of my first year, my 3 class-mates and I couldn’t have decided which society to join so we established the Warwick Management Society. The aim of the society was to provide WBS students with workshops on how to prepare for exams as well as bring additional content and speakers to broaden the topic of career and job search. Having been a part of the team taught me to be a better team player and also gave me the opportunity to improve my entrepreneurial and presentation skills.

What is accommodation at University really like?
Both, living on and off campus provide different experiences. I highly recommend living on campus in the first year as it enables you to socialise with others and make friends from day one. In the second year, students are encouraged to find their own accommodation, which is great for learning to be independent. I also had the opportunity to live on campus in my final year after returning from a year-long placement – being able to stay close to the university whilst living with other final year students helped me stay focused and motivated till the very last exam.

How did the WBS CareersPlus team support you?
The help from the careers team was invaluable. Their support with building my CV, mock-up interviews and workshops and soft-skills taught me how to stand out from the crowd. They also helped me to secure a 3 month internship after the first year at Warwick.

What were the key things you took away from your course and how has this supported your career?
We can agree that three years of business studies will not make anyone a business guru, however it is a starting point. WBS’ approach to teaching is what makes that starting point as broad and as deep as possible. The first year compulsory modules gives you the general overview of various business domains after which you have the opportunity to select subjects of interest for the following years. I truly appreciated this approach as I was able to give my studies its own identity and learn about things I was particularly passionate about. In addition, the opportunity to apply the learnings during my placement year at Microsoft was invaluable to building the bridge between the theory and the world of real business.

What do you most enjoy about your role at Microsoft?
I work as an Adoption and Change Management consultant. I know, a fancy title but you may ask what does it really mean? Our team work directly with clients, helping them with the people side of change when new processes and technologies are introduced to their organisations. Nowadays, deploying new technology comes as a second nature to organisations, however, helping employees to adapt to and embrace the change is where the challenge is. My role is great as it encompasses a broad range of domains and skills: creativity, communication, coaching, presentation delivery, stakeholder management, problem-solving, planning and more. Also, I work in great team of experienced professionals from across the globe. In a consulting role, no day is the same.

What was the best thing about studying BSc Management at WBS?
There is no such thing as one best thing about studying at Warwick – my whole WBS experience was what made a difference in my life.

What are your tips for getting the most out of an Undergraduate degree for those starting this October?
First, be open to any opportunity that WBS provides and try new things, even the scary ones. Second, work hard, play hard, know when to have fun but also when to get the head down and study, especially focus on the latter one. Above all, enjoy it – time at Warwick runs faster than you think, at the end, you will look back and say, what a journey.

Find out more about our BSc Management course.