I am Elina Pasanen, and I work at Frends as a service manager and a supervisor. I have been working for the company for eight and a half years now.

Nine years ago, I was still finishing my thesis on the electrostatic separation of precious metals from waste incineration bottom ash, and I had no idea I would end up in the IT sector! I had studied at Aalto University in the Department of Material Science and Engineering, majoring in recycling technology and minoring in environmental management and sustainable business.

So, how did I end up in the IT sector and at Frends? What made me stay on this path?

My career path

At the end of my studies, I got interested in coding, so after graduation, I also started looking for jobs in the IT field, in addition to jobs related to my studies.

I came across a six-month training program organized by our company, intending to get a permanent contract. I applied and was accepted to study to become an Integration Developer. I was excited to build processes that passed information from one system to another, performing different business logic and message transformations along the way. In addition to the interesting tasks, there was a good, relaxed atmosphere in the work community, so I had a great time!

I ended up working in integration development for about three years until I went on maternity leave. When I returned to work, I was offered the position of Service Manager. I decided to take the opportunity because, although I was reluctant to give up my development work, I knew that working at the client interface was my thing.

I have enjoyed the varied work of a Service Manager. Being responsible for the overall delivery of all continuous services for several customers ensures there are no boring days, and every day is different!  After working as a Service Manager for a few years, I was offered the opportunity to become the new supervisor of one of our Delivery teams. I agreed, and so, alongside my Service Manager duties, I was given team management and supervising duties.

How it feels to work at Frends

I've enjoyed being a supervisor. I think it's important that my team has a positive working atmosphere and good team spirit! As a supervisor, I do my best to ensure that my team members receive work that meets their wishes as well as possible and that possible challenges can be dealt with quickly. I also enjoy my role as a Service Manager alongside my supervisor work, as it keeps me involved in our day-to-day business. The very important and interesting part of my work for me is also being responsible for the service management development with my colleague and taking part in other internal development activities as well.

All in all, I'm really glad I took the plunge into the IT world and had the opportunity to learn through work! I've discovered an interesting field, a job where I can constantly learn and develop, and, above all, an employer who invests in its employees and supports and encourages their career progression.

But above all the most important thing is our amazing team and colleagues! Our team spirit is excellent, and we work with commitment and good vibes. We spend a lot of time at work, so I feel it's really important that we have fun at work and that everyone can be who they really are.