Career Talks with Imogen Ashcroft, Landing a job as a Platform Engineer at SUSE banner

SUSE is all about being open, and that is why we value the diversity of our teams! And as our Consulting Director for SUSE in EMEA, Imogen Ashcroft said ‘all talent comes in many different shapes, sizes & guises’.  Let us introduce you to Imogen and her story about the day-to-day work life and the values we share here at SUSE. 

Imogen is the Consulting Director for SUSE in EMEA, responsible for leading a growing team of Consultants and Project Managers and ensuring successful delivery of services to our customers.  She has 20+ years’ experience of working in Professional Services for IT companies of varying sizes and has worked with international customers in a wide range of business sectors including banking & finance, telecoms, pharmaceuticals and governmental organizations.  Before joining SUSE in 2018, Imogen spent 7 years at VMware and led a team specializing in IT Organizational & Process Change, as well as managing the implementation of technologies including Private and Hybrid Cloud Platforms and Mobile Device Management.  She lives in the UK with her husband and two children.

If we already got your attention, keep on reading to find out how to land a job as a Platform Engineer at SUSE. 

What are the most important skills you are looking for in a candidate?

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Relevant technical skills are a ‘must have’, of course, but are by no means all we look at.  Because the role is very collaborative – you will be working constantly with customers and colleagues – so-called ‘soft’ or communication skills are also very important, like being able to articulate concepts clearly, to ask good questions and to listen well!

We work in a fast-paced environment, so candidates will also need to show that they can manage workload effectively and respond well to change. 

Lastly, I will mention language skills – my team serves customers throughout Europe, so fluency in a major European language other than English is a great advantage too.  

How can someone prepare to be successful in the role? 

I believe that having the right attitude and values in the workplace is vital.  Skills are important, but most of these can be developed over time.  To be successful in the role, an individual must be willing to commit, prepared to be flexible, enthusiastic to learn and eager to collaborate with others.

How can people prepare for the interview?

As with any job, it helps to do some research about the company and have some informed questions ready to ask.  Remember that the interview process is a two-way street – we want to find the right candidate, but you also need to know if the role is right for you!  Aside from that, though, be yourself! At SUSE we value diversity and know that talent comes in many different shapes, sizes & guises.  

What makes the team special?

My team is diverse – there are 7 different nationalities in the team, based in 6 different countries around Europe – but we are bonded by a passion for technology (particularly open-source technology!), united by our commitment to providing high-quality professional services to our customers, and we work hard every day to ‘LOVE’ (live our values every day).

Why should someone join SUSE?

Why wouldn’t they!?! SUSE is a fast-growing company with highly-rated technology, values we are serious about upholding, and exciting plans for the future… Come and join the journey!

Thank you, Imogen, for the truly valuable insights! We believe that your advice will be very useful to all the peers looking forward to taking the step and starting their career in Open Source!

 

  • careers in Tech
  • Life at SUSE
  • Open Source
  • Platform Engineer
  • Career Talks
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AUTHOR
Nelly Voinova
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