Ivan Ivanov (’08), Senior Finance Manager, WW Sales at VMware: ‘VMware has it as a priority to make sure people are happy at work’
AUBG will hold its tradition Job and Internship Fair online on March 30. One of the employers recruiting students at the fair is VMware, a global leader in cloud infrastructure and business mobility technologies, which has been in Bulgaria for 13 years now. With a diverse team of talents from over ten nationalities, the Bulgarian office creates key products and solutions for the needs of some of the world's largest companies. The specialists in Sofia have extensive expertise in the field of virtualization, management and automation of virtual infrastructures, disaster recovery, analysis of large data sets, cybersecurity, finance and more. A people-centric company, VMware offers a number of benefits that promote wellbeing and work-life balance.
To learn more about the company, we spoke to Ivan Ivanov (’08), Finance Senior Manager at VMware. He graduated from AUBG in 2008 and has since built a successful career in the field of finance. Read our interview with Ivan who talks about his experience working at VMware and shares tips on how to ace your job interview at the company.
You joined VMware over eight years ago. What were your first impressions at the company?
My first impressions with the company were quite positive, but what is more important to me is that over the years the company never stops developing. The first thing that struck me back then was how people-oriented the culture is at VMware. I was quickly “included" in the team, everyone was so helpful getting me up to speed and we ended up becoming friends. I was also surprised to see how the company has it as a priority to make sure its employees feel happy at work, which has different aspects - work environment, career development opportunities and personal wellbeing. I did not have similar experiences before and do not think those are quite common.
What is it like to work at VMware? What does your workday look like?
Over the years, my workday changed a bit. In the beginning, while I had a more junior role, I was spending most of my time making analyses and reports that helped run the business. I was also spending time with my teammates on knowledge sharing as there are so many things going on. Now my day is full of meetings discussing all sort of topics - my own team meetings, 1x1s, new projects, cross team collaboration initiatives etc. In between the meetings, I am managing my mail and IM as it becomes a major communication channel being a manager and being pulled in so many workstreams.
What should the AUBG students expect after they become part of the company? What are the perks and the career growth opportunities?
To me, VMware gives unparalleled opportunity to develop in an international company of that size. I have never imagined that while holding a position in Bulgaria I will be presenting on company performance to our top executives including our CFO based in PA, California. The team in Bulgaria produces reports and analyses for our top management, helping them in their strategical decision-making. So, if you have the right skillset, motivation, and mindset, you have the chance to develop your career vertically as well as horizontally.
What advice would you give to the AUBG students on successfully preparing for a job interview at VMware? What kind of people are you looking for to join your team?
Come prepared. Know why you are applying for the role, what made you chose VMware and how you can add value to the team. Be to the point and clear, while genuine at the same time. We would expect you to know the Management Accounting basics, have good technical and analytical skills, especially in Excel. The ideal candidate from the university bench will cover all the above plus demonstrating a good mix of intellectual power and soft skills.
What is your experience at AUBG? How do you feel the university has prepared you for your career?
Honestly, I think AUBG helped me adapt quickly to VMware. Communication is one of the most important skills you need on the job and in life. I got plenty of opportunity to practice it with people from all over the world while studying at AUBG, which really made a difference when starting my journey at VMware. The university encourages you to be proactive, open to new ideas, curious, engaged and to have an opinion on different matters. I apply this to my job every day and that really fostered my career success.
