A Career Jump From HR To Development | Meet Katrina

When Katrina was hired to work for Zervant in 2017, she didn’t expect the rollercoaster ride that ensued. Starting in the company as a part-time Office Assistant whilst studying for a business degree, Katrina moved to a full-time role in Human Resources as a HR and Office Coordinator following her graduation. Today, she’s thriving in her role as a Junior Software Developer. Now she tells her story about how her career has developed.

How did you end up here at Zervant?

I was studying for a Bachelor of Multilingual Management Assistants and looked for a part time job in the field. That’s when I ran into the job ad of the Office Assistant position at Zervant. Before I applied, I scrolled through Zervant’s website and I got a really good feeling about the company. It seemed like this company had a great organisational culture and it really made me want to apply.

I got the job and it matched my needs perfectly. I got to work part-time, two days a week with very flexible hours. I wasn’t sure during my studies if I was more interested in HR or in Finance, and at Zervant I was able to do both so I thought that was great.

What made you jump from HR to Development and have you enjoyed it?

I actually studied coding before my other degree but never graduated. Working in the HR of a software company woke up that interest again and I decided to start working towards becoming a developer. Gladly Zervant offers a training budget, so I could continue learning more on Skillshare.

My first step towards the development side was a position as a Test Automation Developer. A year ago, I had the opportunity to move to one of our Development teams as a Junior Software Developer. My tasks include solving tickets concerning the development of invoice creation and delivery and fixing bugs. I work closely with my team and our Product Manager.

The jump from HR to Development has been the right decision for me and I’ve enjoyed it. I figured that I work better with logical tasks. Although I have to say, the problems can be really challenging but that means finding the solution will feel a hundred times better.

Do you have any tips for people dreaming of a career change?

Do it! It feels great to find your own thing. I’d recommend software development to people who enjoy challenging themselves and working on logical problem solving. I want to especially encourage women who might be worried if they can fit in this male dominated field by saying that absolutely you can. I have not experienced my gender affecting anything at all.

Just be brave to open your mouth to let people know about your dreams – you will never know what might come out of that. Then make sure to actively work towards your goals.

What do you like the most about working at Zervant?

I love working at Zervant because I can be my true self. I can affect my work and I feel like my ideas and wishes are being listened to. My dream was to become a Software Developer, and that dream came true.

If you’re interested in a career at Zervant, have a look at our careers page or send us an open application.