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In our StartYourCareer@NORMA series, former trainees, working students and interns all talk about how they got their career start at NORMA Group and the changes that come with being offered a permanent position.
From Serbia to the United Kingdom and ultimately to Germany – that was the journey undertaken by Aleksandra Ivackovic, Customer Coordinator New Energy, at NORMA Group. In this interview, she tells us how she has developed both personally and professionally since joining the company as an intern and what her goals are for the future.
Aleksandra, how long have you been working at NORMA Group?
It will be nine years in August. I started working as an intern in the Supply Chain department in Serbia for a year before I was offered a permanent position and started as an assistant in Order Management. I worked in that position for a total of four years. At that point, I moved to the United Kingdom, where I worked as a customer coordinator for another four years.
I moved to Germany at the end of last year and am now working as a customer coordinator in the New Energy team. Living in another country was something I always wanted to do and I planned to spend a semester abroad during my studies. But then the opportunity came up to start as an intern at NORMA Group. My goal was to do a bubble assignment and I worked hard to get the chance to work in another country for a few months.
But it ended up being a bit longer than a few months. In fact, it was four years. How did that all come about?
The reason I moved from Serbia to the UK was that after four years I wanted to expand my knowledge and learn something new. So, I had a conversation with my supervisor at the time and asked him what opportunities might be available at NORMA Group. I really wanted to work in sales and I was ready to take on the challenges.
I asked the sales manager at the time to let me know when a suitable position became available. As it turns out, there was actually a vacancy in the company, but it was in the UK. Ever since I was little, I wanted to go on vacation there and now I was about to get the opportunity to live there! I applied like all the other candidates and got the job. I am very grateful for the opportunity and the support I received.
And yet you moved to Germany after four years?
Yes, but that was a difficult decision. My visa would have expired this year in June, and I was faced with the choice of either staying in UK or following a new path. I debated in my mind what to do – a process that took months.
One day, while looking through the vacancies at NORMA Group, I came across my current position and decided to apply.
“I thought to myself, if this is what my destiny is, then so be it, but if not, then it's definitely a sign to stay in the UK.”
As a result, I ended up moving to Germany. I’m really grateful that I have a great team here that I can rely on. I also live much closer to my family in Serbia now.
What does your job involve today?
I am responsible for looking after two large customers. I focus primarily on ensuring that projects are completed on time, that pricing structures are correctly recorded in the system and that the entire team is moving in the same direction. I regularly lead team meetings to ensure that we are all on the same page pulling in the same direction and working toward a common goal: Making sure our customers are satisfied and securing follow-up orders.
And what did you do before you joined NORMA Group?
I had just completed my Bachelor’s degree when someone I went to university with called me. He was already working at NORMA Group and asked me if I would be interested in working here as well. He recommended me to his superior and I sent my CV – the rest is history, as they say.
Was it hard for you to juggle your Master’s degree and work?
It was definitely a challenge! I am grateful that I had a great supervisor who was very understanding, as were my colleagues. And most of the professors at my university were also proud of the students who managed to balance their studies and work.
How different is your life today from your life in Serbia and the United Kingdom?
I spent my whole life in Serbia. When I moved to the UK, the Corona pandemic was just getting started, which made it difficult to make new contacts. But I did manage to make some close friends there with whom I am still in contact after moving to Germany three months ago.
“I have become more open to people – being candid and not judgmental has helped me in every country I have been in.”
Through the different positions, I have worked in different teams and met so many great people. The years I have spent at NORMA Group have been extremely varied and have allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. I discovered strengths in myself that I didn’t know I had. My English has improved, and I hope my German will too.
In Germany, I work with many colleagues in the office and there are also some Serbian colleagues at the Maintal site, which is really great. And being so close to Serbia makes it easier for my family and friends from home to visit me. I think my personal life will blossom over the next few months and I really hope that I will still be living here in four years’ time.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to go for walks and I go to the gym at least three times a week – it’s a really important part of my life wherever I am. I also like to have a coffee in a café and enjoy the sun. I like music, dancing and reading books. And I love traveling, wandering around and getting to know new cultures.
And finally, what are your goals for the future?
I want to continue to be part of the company and hope to have the opportunity to lead a team one day. I also want to stay in Germany and continue to enjoy my life here.
