"Surround yourself with people who keep you motivated"
A success story from a female MTOP alumna on International Women’s Day
Beim #MTOPstorytelling erzählen unsere Associates ihre Geschichte. Wie war für sie das Ankommen in Österreich, was war schwierig und wie sind sie damit umgegangen?
What did you hope to build when you moved to Austria—and what did work mean to you?
I was hoping to continue a trajectory upwards professionally and spoiler: it dipped. I was hoping to deepen my knowledge and experience in my field. Work represented a continuation of my life's purpose, and it was frustrating to know that access to work was not restricted by lack of skill or knowledge or motivation to work, but purely by regulation.
What was the hardest part of your job search—and what kept you going?
The biggest challenge was that the health care sector is heavily regulated and I needed to have my degree recognized through the ‘Nostrifikation’ process to validate my degrees, which could have taken years. Another big challenge was that I was living in a small town in Austria, where jobs in my sector were hard to come by. I made the decision to leverage my skills to other sectors to find work. Enrolling in a mentorship program and as a candidate with MTOP were essential to kickstart my motivation to keep going!
How did you get the “yes” from your new employer?
I was informed by a fellow associate in my MTOP cohort about the position. My interview process was very short and intense, but through my preparation with MTOP I felt prepared and relatively confident. When I got the job offer, I was very happy with the positive outcome. It would have not been possible without the relationships I built in the associate programme.
What would you tell other women with a migrant background still searching for work in Austria?
Know your worth, identify what you'll have to sacrifice and prioritize your efforts towards what is realistic and tangible. Also, surround yourself with people that will keep you motivated. My wish for all women with migration experience in Austria is that we learn to put our needs, goals, and aspirations first, without guilt, and without shrinking ourselves. People say it takes a village to raise a child. I believe it also takes a village, champions seen and unseen, quiet and loud, near and far, to support a woman in becoming everything she was always meant to be.