Amy Jawanda is a rising star at CA Technologies.
The company creates the software that fuels the application economy, and Amy has risen quickly through the ranks to become a Services Project Manager within the CA Services organisation. She joined CA Technologies though the Associate Services Graduate Programme and in her six year career with the company has had three varying roles.
Amy, please introduce yourself.
I graduated from Keele University where I studied the Information Technology Management for Business Degree (ITMB), and began my career with CA Technologies through the Associate Services Graduate Programme. In the six years I have been with the company, my career has progressed very rapidly and I have never looked back. I began as an Associate Services Consultant in 2010, was promoted to Services Consultant in 2013, and in 2015 moved into my current role as a Services Project Manager.
What does a typical day look like?
Whoever said anything about a typical day? Every day is different—which helps to explain why I love the role so much. I am involved in multiple customer projects at any one time—across different solution areas of the business—and although it makes for a demanding day, it makes for immense variety.
I may start one day working remotely and planning calls at home, while the next I am woken by a 5am alarm and a three-hour commute to the CA Technologies office in Datchet. Another day will involve working on a client site—and that usually means waking up in a hotel in a new city.
Each day closes as differently as it starts. That might mean spending time with my family while working from home, sitting bumper-to-bumper in traffic on my commute, or exploring a new city.
Did you map out a career path?
Yes I did. I really believe that regular planning, goal setting and reflection help maximise professional development. I spend an hour at the start of each week reflecting on the previous week’s objectives, and set myself new objectives to achieve the following week. I am very driven and motivated to achieve the goals that I set myself. All of these objectives are small milestones to successfully reach a larger set of objectives that I set myself every year.
What makes CA Technologies such a great place to work?
CA Technologies has a fun, diverse, and fast-paced corporate culture. In fact, it’s consistently ranked number one for innovation, sustainability, employee happiness, and customer satisfaction. To my mind, it is one of the best employers in the industry. I work with a great team of people from diverse backgrounds. The company really looks after its employees too, offering benefits that range from very competitive workplace benefits to 80-acre grounds that date back to Henry VIII, a Montessori School, gym, and much more. Internal mobility is also encouraged, as evidenced by the fact I have held three roles.
How have you benefited from coaching, mentoring or the sponsorship of others?
I have benefitted from mentors throughout my career at CA Technologies. The company allocated me a mentor during the Associate Graduate Programme, who regularly shared his experiences and guided me through each phase. In both of my subsequent roles at CA Technologies, I have also benefited from different mentors. As I have progressed within the Company, I have also provided mentoring myself back to the new graduates joining the programme.
Are you a fan of networking?
Networking is a real catalyst for my career. It enables me to meet new people, learn from others, share experiences, gain knowledge, and gain exposure. I network everywhere—internal Company events, industry events, social media and through niche technology focused communities, such as the Tech Partnership network.
Do you have any tips for our members about how to raise their profile either inside or outside their own organisations?
Let’s start with raising the internal profile. I would advise getting involved in as many team or company-wide networking opportunities as possible. Theses can range from joining sports teams, societies, getting involved in community initiatives, attending company events, team socials, or seminars. Externally, I would recommend following industry influencers in their given area on social media—LinkedIn and Twitter, for example—and actively take part in discussions to gain exposure and to connect with people who share similar views.
I would also advise people to connect with others they may meet in a business context on LinkedIn to build their professional network. The key to networking is just to be yourself. Networking should always be fun getting to know people and being involved in things you enjoy.
Do you have any advice for people aspiring to a career in consultancy?
Make sure you understand the demands of the role, the regular travel requirements, and the need to gain professional qualifications in your specific field. Understanding the role and being prepared for a career in consultancy will make the transition into consultancy more enjoyable. Also, make the most of the opportunities being a consultant can give you outside of the day-to-day role. For example, when working away from home and staying in a hotel, planning some evening activities to explore the location and make the most of your stay.
How do you see your future playing out?
I would like to progress my career as a Project Manager at CA Technologies and become a Senior Project Manager and be responsible for large-scale projects. I would also like to continue to be involved in initiatives to inspire young women to take up careers in technology.
