Credera welcomes... Hani Qadiri

As Credera continues to grow at a blistering pace, we are welcoming more people to the company than ever. Here is the first in a series of blogs where we interview some new faces once they’ve had the chance to get to know Credera and how it feels to be part of the team here.

When you got the offer, how did you feel?

Pretty happy. I interviewed at other consultancies prior to Credera, however, none of them gave me the same sense of belonging I felt for Credera. So, when the call came the next day, I was pretty ecstatic to be receiving a job offer.

I was super nervous about starting a new job. Being a recent graduate and only having worked in a start-up which was quite an informal setting (my boss wore tracksuit bottoms into work every day) I was slightly worried about what the office culture would be like, would they still give me the same level of responsibilities as I had at the start-up?

What were you most excited about when you got the offer?

I was equally excited about three things:

1. Having worked through case studies and heard consulting stories from people around me, I was excited to actually have the chance to be one.

2. I knew Credera was going growing as a company and I was excited about the idea of contributing to that growth.

3. The phone and laptop budget.

Did you do anything with us prior to joining? How did you find it?

I was invited to a 5-a-side football game, which I was nervous about because I hadn’t played properly since I was 12 and didn’t want to embarrass myself. After the game, we all went to the pub, providing an opportunity to mingle with my colleagues and get further insight into the company – for instance, who was in charge of the snacks drawer and were they open to suggestions?

I was also invited to the upcoming Strategy Day. Going in I had no idea what to expect, and the experience was incredible to say the least. Everyone was extremely friendly and approachable.

Who were you in contact with before joining Credera?

One of my friends was already working at Credera, which is how I found out about the company. I was also in contact with another consultant who was about to start in a similar position to myself, after meeting them at football.

How did you feel before joining Credera?

Before starting, I didn’t have the clearest view of what the company culture would be like. After meeting everyone at various events such as football and the Strategy Day, I was given a very clear indication of the type of personalities one would find at Credera, which definitely squashed my qualms. By the time it was my first day to start, it didn’t feel like “first day on the job” at all, it felt rather familiar.

Now you're one of the team, how are you finding life at Credera?

It’s been great so far, I’ve already completed two training courses and two projects. Meeting people at football and the Strategy Day really helped with the first day at the office. Since I had at least briefly talked to about 80% of the people, the environment felt familiar and my mentality became more along the lines of “yeah let’s get stuck in”. I feel like I’ve been “accepted”, and that I’ve definitely settled in.

How does the reality of working at Credera compare to your expectations?

Since I had a friend who already worked here, I knew the occasional thing about the company, what they offer and what it’s like to work at Credera. However, I think my interactions so far have surpassed my expectations of friendliness and support. Everyone so far has been willing to take time out of their day to talk about what they’re working on or answer any questions.

What’s been the biggest challenge you've faced since starting your role here?

When I was initially sold onto the project I first worked on, I understood on the surface what was happening. However, I was recommended to do ITIL training, and after working through the materials and then coming back to the project’s content, I found that everything was a lot clearer.

What’s been the biggest things you’ve learned so far at Credera?

I learnt something valuable within three areas: valuable insight into how businesses work, infrastructural IT and approaches to projects.

I was invited to an insurance clients’ site to learn about the work we are doing there. I learnt about the history of the client’s business, the ins and outs of insurance and its relationship with technology.

I’ve also been given the opportunity to work towards my ITIL qualification.

I was also put onto a project within my first month, on which I was very much in the thick of it, which I had to quickly get up to speed in order to contribute where I could.

Overall, what's your biggest highlight to date at Credera?

Strategy Day. Not just because it was a great trip to a beautiful place, it’s because I was introduced to the company in a relaxed and mostly informal setting, providing me the pleasure of getting to casually meet my future colleagues. When researching consulting interviews, I came across the “airport test”, which, in all honesty, no one I’ve met at Credera has failed.

What advice would you give to anyone else considering joining Credera?

Apply! I would’ve been gutted if I didn’t.

What do you think makes Credera different?

What I’ve observed (and experienced) is whilst the company has a competitive nature, learning and completing a task together is prioritised first. They take care to make sure the pace is right for me without making me feel like I was slowing down the project.

Thanks Hani.