Mervi Holster-Hemmi, Nokia Oulu
“There are so many paths one can take and they all are equally valuable. It is your choice what path you want to go for, not what others expect from you.”
What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?
I have studied Industrial Engineering and Management at Oulu University. The reason I selected IEM was that I felt it combined business, economic and technology – those topics that I was interested in. Now looking backwards, I realize I was surrounded by engineers in my family and maybe it was that they provided me role model and inspiration. Also, I was brought up in a way, that I can freely choose my future path and I think I have also been quite independent to make my own way, so selecting a field of engineering was not a big deal.
How did you become a Business Development Manager?
I saw a Nokia summer job advertisement in our guild notice board, job sounded interesting, and I decided to apply. I got selected, I continued to make my thesis work, got permanent position and have been in dozen of different positions since – both in supply chain and RD roles, in Finland and abroad. Today I work as Nokia Oulu Development Manager and together with my team we are responsible for our internal communications, competence development, employee engagement, employer image and research and innovation collaboration with our ecosystem.
What is the best thing about your job?
Working with inspiring colleagues, having opportunities to collaborate outside of our own company, too. Learning new things every day!
What have been the highlights and most important lessons of your career?
Having colleagues and partners from all over the world has broadened my thinking and enriched my life. Also moving from supply chain related jobs to totally different role in RD was a really valuable learning experience and gave me a lesson that one should not be afraid of taking on totally new assignments. Also, I truly believe that higher diversity in team means more fun and better outcomes. And I must say that our new campus project has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
What do you expect from the future?
Continue to do meaningful work, see how fast world in changing and how we at Nokia can help to solve challenges our world is facing.
For whom is this a suitable career option?
To anyone having curiosity!
What message would you like to send to a young person pondering their career?
There are so many paths one can take, and they all are equally valuable. It is your choice what path you want to go for, not what others expect from you. I have colleagues with so diverse backgrounds that you would not believe. Working life is a long journey and different experiences all provide a possibility to learn and grow if you so choose to think. It is ok not to know what you want to become to. We learn as we go on.