Digital SHEro Claudia: My path to SAP consulting
My name is Claudia, I am 56 years old, and I have been at valantic since 2018. It was not always clear that I would work in IT consulting, because I am a trained optician. Due to the lack of flexibility in this profession, it was difficult to balance family life and my job. When my son went to kindergarten, I decided to start my university studies. In the "Women in IT" course, I came into contact with IT topics for the first time. After studying economics with a focus on accounting, controlling, and financing, I started working in internal consulting before switching to external consulting. I never consciously made the decision to go into IT, but rather realized that you need to understand IT to make changes. I am not a developer in the classical sense; instead, my strength lies in analyzing processes and mapping them in SAP.
My superpower: Active listening
My superpower is listening – this sounds passive at first, but it's very important to learn what is important to customers, why they're doing the things they're doing, and what they want. Because only if I understand customers’ needs and intentions can I advise them and find the best possible solutions.
It’s also important to be curious and never stop learning. You always have new customers, the technology is evolving, and there are constantly new challenges and solutions that you get to know. I appreciate this diversity and the variety in consulting. The same applies to people who work in the industry. There are quite different types of consultants. Some are communicative and extroverted, while others are more analytical and detail oriented. Both types are important in consulting because they have different perspectives and abilities.
"Make it easy and just do it!"
In my career I have experienced the changes in the IT industry, especially the increasing presence of women in technical professions and leadership positions - but it would be great if there were even more! I actively encourage women to take the step into IT, because it is an area that offers great opportunities. In particular, consulting offers flexibility and financial freedom, which allows women to be independent.
It’s not about gender, but about the ability to acquire and apply knowledge. I firmly believe that you can succeed in IT if you are ready to constantly educate yourself and take on new challenges. As a consultant, I am pragmatic and do not search for the perfect solution forever, but just get started and try not to complicate things. Therefore, my slogan as a digital SHEro is: "Make it easy and just do it!"