The art of relationship – Yuliya’s key to success

She came to do an interview for her Master’s thesis but ended up staying as an employee and later becoming a manager – this is Yuliya’s story. Before that, she already had a job as a designer and thought that a bank would probably be a rather boring place to work. However, it took one interview and some encouragement by a colleague to change her mind and apply for a job at SEB. Now, 5 years later, she is a team manager encouraging others to leave their stereotypes behind and discover the exciting world of finance. Learn more about Yuliya’s story.
 

How did your journey with SEB start?

Although I was studying finance, I could not imagine myself working in a bank, because I have always had a creative side that I thought would not be used working in a financial institution. But then I started doing research for my Master’s thesis, and I was looking for someone to interview, and there was an SEB employee I reached out to. The interview with him made me look at finance from another perspective, and he actually encouraged me to apply for a job. Even though I did not have previous experience in finance – I applied and got interviewed by three managers for three different teams. I made the decision based on my gut feeling, joined the Corporate Actions team, and soon after, I was already diving into new experiences and absorbing all the information I possibly could. 

How did you grow to become a team manager?

With the support of my team and managers I learned and explored all the processes around me. After a few years, an opportunity emerged for me to move to the Global Custody department where I became a Global Process Expert, which was the time when, thanks to my managers, I really understood the importance of soft skills and what it means to lead and support a team. Soon after, I had my own team – 14 colleagues to whom I was now a mentor and supporter. Suddenly everything fell into place, and those great connections and relationships I had built before allowed me to feel good in my position and help my department reach great results.

What was your initial impression about SEB, and did that change over time?

As I said, I didn’t think a career in a bank would be something exciting for me. To my surprise, there was not that much routine – every day was different, with new experiences, and the Swedish work environment makes everyone – from teammates to senior management – approachable and supportive – it made me love my job even more. 

What does your department do to support customers?

We remove borders for investors by being the bridge between them and the global markets, there is no longer a need to travel to be able to purchase shares or invest in companies abroad, the client can just simply come to SEB and we will help. We also support other functions like transactions, dividends and tax reporting. Our customers are both from the private sector as well as businesses and corporations. We work behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

What is special about your team, what is its superpower?

We have very diverse responsibilities within the team, allowing to cover different parts of processes and we support each other every step of the way. In our team, we cross-train and shadow each other to understand what is the role of every colleague and the overall process that we contribute towards as a team. New ideas and initiatives are always welcome, as we all have the same goal – to work in the most efficient way and make decisions that will help our customers succeed in the long term. 

Because we are a team of creative individuals, that are always looking for new experiences, we not only work together, but we also do different kinds of activities together after work such as bowling or painting for example. So, I would say our superpower is teamwork and curiosity.

You mentioned Swedish work environment. What does it mean to you?

It’s all the things I have experienced here during different periods of my career and life. The support, genuine care, and interest in my development that people have shown and that I am now trying to give to my team members. It’s the general approach to problem-solving, searching for the best solution not just for the moment, but for the long term. It is about respecting and nurturing work-life balance. I am a mom of a 2-year-old, and I can truly experience the supportive environment that we have here at SEB. It’s about always having opportunities to develop and grow if you really want it – you can feel the output if you really put in the work. And it is about building relationships that will help you grow professionally and personally.

What would you say to anyone considering joining SEB team?

If you want to learn, grow, experience an inclusive and supportive culture, and use your talents to create a positive impact, no matter if you have the experience or not – this is the place where you can do it. This is the place where the community will push you forward to fulfil your potential.