Interview with Marketa Kachynova

Marketa Kachynova is from the Czech Republic and studied BA International Relations and Spanish at the University of Leeds. She graduated in 2015 and then went on to study International Relations as a Masters at the University of Amsterdam. She now works in Prague as a consultant for PwC.

What does your job entail?

Well it differs from every project. At the moment I am working on a project with an online entertainment provider which is in the process of widening its portfolio of services, and seeking out better software to enable them to do this. I have been helping with process mapping, which means that I go through processes in the systems and different user journeys that the clients of the companies go through. I have also spent time in the project management office, which means that I attend management meetings. I write down meeting minutes, insert action items into the project software and track these actions to see what difficulties users are experiencing. We see why these actions couldn’t be completed, and in what ways I can help them. If there’s a major issue then I escalate it to the management.

How did your degree and the things you learnt at university help you with your career now?

I’m in technology consulting but I did social sciences and languages so it really is not about the hard knowledge but the soft skills that you get from university. This means time management, diligence, and integrity in the sense that you do not leave any work undone or not done properly. The important thing is you get the habits that only a university education can provide you with. It’s that you understand that it is your responsibility but also that your actions have an impact on lots of other things. University gives you the opportunity to perfect these things, like time management, writing skills and communication. Drive and enthusiasm are the key attributes one has to have for this job because they will teach you the hard knowledge and the technical skills on the job.

What did you do on your year abroad?

I spent my year abroad in Spain working at the University of Seville in the international relations office. I did a lot of administrative jobs; helped with the incoming Erasmus students and their queries, translated documents, and made presentations. I updated databases and also took guests of the university on tours.

Do you think that what you learnt on your year abroad helped you in your career?

Yes, very much so. I gained a lot of skills from working with databases and Microsoft Outlook, which are sought after by employers. Apart from these things that I could put on my CV, the internship helped me on a psychological level. I felt I could stand up to a challenge, that I could do the things I’d initially been unsure of. It was also very enriching to be in a completely new environment, and interesting to experience the different work attitudes in another country.

What was your main achievement at university?

In my final year I got a job in marketing, a sector in which I had no previous experience. It was a big challenge but in the end I managed to get a first in my degree and received excellent feedback from my employer. It was a really good experience that I used later on in interviews, as I felt that juggling both projects was my greatest achievement.

What advice do you have for students who are unsure of the career they want?

Try not to limit yourself by what you studied because there really is a world of opportunities out there. You may feel like you’re not qualified for anything but in fact you can do so much. My advice would be to look for opportunities that maybe don’t sound like they are related to your studies. I would never have applied for the job I have now because it is in technology, which I knew nothing about because I studied social sciences, but my friend from High School recommended that I apply. You just have to show your enthusiasm and drive and go through the assessment centre. Prepare for the assessment centre and show that you want the job. I would recommend keeping in touch with your friends from school and university, and your professors. Share all your aspirations and plans because they can help you and unless you tell them they will never know. Sharing what you’re doing and what you want to be doing with other people is really important in achieving what you want. Leeds has a really good network of people who can give valuable advice so don’t keep your plans to yourself as that would rob you of many opportunities.

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Have the interviews in the Alumni Voices Abroad series been helpful to you? What insights would you like to gain from future interviews with our alumni? All feedback on the series is welcome, please send this via email to lcsalumni@leeds.ac.uk