Zane Zolmane: I moved to another country and started working in a new area without changing my employer
- Title Team manager, Employee IT support at SEB Global Services
- Education MBA in International Business, BA School of Business and Finance and Swiss Business School
- Personal interests Zero-waste lifestyle and playing drums
In her team Zane has 16 human and one virtual colleague, all of them working together to assist 15 000 employees of SEB around the world with any IT related issues they might have. “IT was a new area for me four years ago. I have learned that if I want to achieve my ambitions, I have to believe in myself and remain determined, humble and patient”, says Zane.
- Title Team manager, Employee IT support at SEB Global Services
- Education MBA in International Business, BA School of Business and Finance and Swiss Business School
- Personal interests Zero-waste lifestyle and playing drums
Tell us about your journey in SEB
I joined six years ago as a teller in Vecrīga branch of SEB bank in Latvia. At first, I worked with private customers, and after a year I joined the team which was serving small and medium sized companies. After another two years I decided I wanted to change something in my life and move to another country. Of course, it also meant I had to change my job, and I started by exploring what openings SEB had in Vilnius. Even though I didn’t have any previous experience in IT I decided to apply for a position in IT and became an IT support specialist, which is an entry-level role. After two years I became a senior IT support specialist, and after another one and a half years I was promoted to my current role as team manager.
Please tell us about your current responsibilities
We are a team of 16 colleagues, with a single mission – assist all SEB employees with any software or hardware related issues they have. Most frequently we have to help with problems such as locked user accounts, expired passwords or issues with using our network, but the list of problems we can help with is very long. We also have a virtual colleague – an artificial intelligence agent AIDA. She handles 20-25% of all workload – the most frequent and simple tasks which can be automated.
Our team is very diverse. Three years ago, when I joined Employee IT support, I was the only non-Lithuanian person in the team. Now our team has colleagues from seven different countries.
What do you like best about your job?
My day is dynamic. What I like about SEB is the fact that we are not limited by our job description. Of course, I have my own tasks, but if I want to learn or do more, there is always a chance. In all teams I have worked in, there has always been a wonderful atmosphere. We are supportive and friendly, and we work as a team. I know that my colleagues will always support me if I need help.
What are the things that motivate you?
There are a lot of opportunities to grow and develop. My career is an example that it is possible to move to another country and start working in a completely new area without changing your employer. You can try different teams and different environments to understand which is the best for you.
What are your professional ambitions?
Currently I plan on staying in IT. I still have a lot to learn and IT is an industry which develops quickly. Somewhere down the road I might try to look for an opportunity to combine the experience I have from working in business units with my IT experience.
Currently I am learning get my Agile and Scrum Master certificates. If someone would have told me three years ago that I would be doing this, I wouldn’t believe, but here I am. It is important to be open and keep learning new things. Nowadays education doesn’t stop after your university diploma.
Can you reveal what are your hobbies?
Two years ago I started to lead the zero-waste lifestyle, and sustainability is something that resonates with me very strongly. I like that sustainability is important for SEB as a company as well, and I can share my experience with my colleagues and encourage them to think more about our environment. I also like sports and I try to lead an active lifestyle. I am commuting to work by bicycle all year round. And I also have started playing drums.
