Lema Rassul: How she grew from Graduate to Product Specialist at Tieto

Lema likes to develop her skills and seeks therefore new challenges as often as possible. She’s been given ample opportunities at Tieto.

Lema started her career at Tietoevry (today Tieto) as a graduate, straight from her studies in software engineering and management. She started out as a back-end developer working on solutions from the banking industry where she got a thorough understanding of the banking infrastructure and best practices in the industry.

- I worked on modernizing payment transactions and applying ISO standards to the banking industry. After having worked with complex solutions for a while, I sought out broader responsibilities and asked my manager if I could assume a role that also included being a manager at some point.

Lema quickly got the opportunity she was looking for and became an IT specialist within the same domain she was a back-end developer in.

- If you show initiative, you’re given opportunities here at Tieto. With a manager who saw my potential, a client that was happy and a position that was available, it’s as if the stars aligned. You’re encouraged to try new things at this company and challenge yourself – and you get the backing to succeed.

After her role as an IT Specialist, Lema progressed into the role as Scrum Master and now a Product Specialist.

- My experience reflects that Tieto actively supports you and helps you move forward.

Lema has also been given courses and training to succeed in her new roles, including a Scrum Master course and a management course when she became a Product Owner.

Combining technical expertise with people leadership

Lema’s interests have led her to a role where she can combine technical tasks and management.

- I like the combination and can’t see myself as someone working purely with either of the two fields.

To Lema it’s vital to understand the technology you’re delivering to the clients to be a great manager.

- It´s vital for me to understand the application the team is working on to be able to provide customer value and support the team in their work – be it prioritize tasks, evaluate impact and make sure they’re happy.

When it comes to good management, Lema believes it’s a combination of three things.

- I believe it’s all about being clear in your communication, create great teamwork and spark engagement. I like to foster an environment where structure and innovation go together. Both are needed to solve the problems our clients face.

An open, inclusive and diverse culture

When asked to describe the culture at Tieto, Lema doesn’t limit herself to just a few words. It’s much too varied to sum it up in a single sentence.

- First and foremost, it’s very open and inclusive. And I would have to add that everyone is very helpful. Just take the aid I’ve been given in my new roles, from not only managers but also colleagues. One thing is encouragement and guidance, but also being mentioned when new opportunities have risen has been invaluable.

Another aspect of the culture that Lema appreciates is the influence individuals can have.

- You are very much in charge of your own career and development and given room to explore and test.

As for who fits in at Tieto, Lema says it’s a wide array of people and personalities.

- I work with colleagues from all kinds of backgrounds. I bring both tech and management experience, while others are purely technical or come from business, engineering, or even marketing. There’s also a wide range of experience — some have been in the industry for years, while others have made complete career changes. All this variety makes the environment really dynamic, where you’re constantly learning from each other and seeing things from new perspectives.