Laura specialises in improving the customer journey within Motability Operations Ltd, the car leasing service which works to deliver the Motability Scheme.
Before moving into the role of Business Analyst, she worked as a Senior Learning and Development specialist within Motability Operations Ltd.
How did you land your current role? Was it planned?
I am a Business Analyst within Motability Operations Ltd, a UK-based company that empowers more than 800,000 recipients of the Motability Scheme to access independent mobility solutions. I work within Technology and am responsible for gathering the business requirements across Motability Operations Ltd, working with our development team to create solutions to meet the needs of the business and our customers.
My previous role was a Senior Learning and Development Specialist. A key part of this role was training all the new entrants on the background to Motability Operations Ltd, the Motability Foundation, our ethos, the way in which we engage our customers and the importance of building connections with them.
As you’d expect with a training role, you engage with a lot of people, all holding a variety of different roles within the business, and I became increasing intrigued about these positions and what they entailed, particularly the roles in Technology. I had been in training for seven years at that stage, but always presumed that some of the roles I was interested in required experience and qualifications. And while some certainly do, some, such as a Business Analyst – prefer to recruit candidates from within the business, even if they don’t have any specific qualifications, as homegrown talent understands the intricacies of the Motability Scheme, and how to manage key stakeholders in the business, as well as understanding how the systems all work.
I wasn’t planning on a move, but I was curious about the wider operations within the organisation, so I started asking questions about other opportunities and roles, which empowered me to apply for a Business Analyst job. I didn’t get the first position I applied for, but after a few weeks, I was contacted about another position looking at process improvements, and got it!
What are the key roles in your field of work, and why did you choose your current expertise?
I had been in customer service for all of my working life and I wanted to explore something different and technology intrigued me. Every day I was training people working in technology, people in my personal life were working in technology and even though I was curious about it, I (wrongly) thought that that path wasn’t open to me as I didn’t have the right qualifications. I therefore spent some time with Technology within Motability Operations Ltd to understand a bit more about what roles were available to me. I’m delighted to have moved roles and feel that the skills I had developed within customer service have prepared me well for this position.
What are you most proud of in your career, so far?
Making the move away from customer service and becoming a Business Analyst. I was curious enough to discover a new career path and I have been able to use the skills I have taken years to develop to help me progress in my current role.
What does an average work day look like for you?
Busy! I have “stand-ups” every day i.e. meetings to assess all the requirements on all our ongoing projects. I organise training sessions and upskilling sessions for team members. I run retrospective sessions where we talk about the latest implementations that we’ve undertaken, and showcase any new features. Each day is very meeting heavy and involves a lot of stakeholder and people management. It’s often a bit of a balancing act keeping everyone happy whilst maintaining the needs of the business, but I enjoy it!
Are there any specific skills or traits that you notice companies look for when you’re searching for roles in your field?
It was the people skills I’d developed, my enthusiasm for our organisation, and the knowledge and understanding I had built up around Motability Operation’s business that put me in a good position to become a Business Analyst.
Anyone looking to apply for something similar needs to have great people skills. From managing senior stakeholders, to working with colleagues, you are dealing with people every single day. You need to be able to make difficult decisions and say ‘no’, but that all becomes easier if you’ve taken the time to build up a good rapport with people. In addition, being highly motivated, ambitious and enthusiastic are desired attributes and will always set you in good stead with a potential employer.
Has anyone ever tried to stop you from learning and developing in your professional life, or have you found the tech sector supportive?
I have found nothing but support within Motability Operations Ltd to further my career. Motability Operations Ltd has development days for staff every quarter and allows its employees to do courses to help with career progression in a current role or to better prepare for a role that you’d like to move to. One of my colleagues is currently a Business Analyst but has ambitions of being a coder so has been given half a day every week away from her usual job to shadow a developer within Technology. It is a highly supportive environment.
Have you ever faced insecurities and anxieties during your career, and how did you overcome them?
Having spent seven years in training – which required me to speak to a room of 200 recruits nearly every day – you quickly overcome your fears and find that not a lot phases you! Anyone who knows me will tell you how loud I can be and I’m not afraid to stand up in front of a crowd! I did make a change in my career, which I appreciate can be daunting to many. However, I was excited to move into something new and embrace what was ahead. I was ready for change and that meant that I thankfully didn’t have any insecurities or anxieties typically associated with a career move.
Entering the world of work can be daunting. Do you have any words of advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed?
Firstly, it’s never as scary as it seems! Change can be daunting but embrace it and be excited about the opportunity ahead.
Secondly, be yourself. Your personality and your attributes are what will set you apart, so be confident in who you are and what you can bring to the workplace.
Finally, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone was new at one stage or another, so they know how it feels. People don’t mind being asked for help, often they prefer it!
What advice would you give other women wanting to reach their career goals in technology?
If my experience has taught me anything it’s that feeling like you are not qualified for a role shouldn’t be a barrier to reaching your goals. Be inquisitive, ask questions and sit with as many people as you can to get an understanding of the wider roles available within your organisations. And don’t just ask what a good day looks like, ask about the bad days so you have a realistic understanding of what a role encompasses. Take any training available, use online resources and build up your experience. Also, never forget that every step you take on your career path is progress. It’s not always about moving up the ladder, sometimes a side-step can unlock a whole series of possibilities you never thought possible.
