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What is special about your working environment at msg digital services?

My job at msg services ag involves advising and supporting customers to help create the best possible solution for customer environments.

As a result of the direct contact with customers and the variety of projects, I experienced quick progress both professionally and personally as well, particularly since I did not have the opportunity to work directly with customers with my previous employer. At msg services, I have been able to successfully master greater challenges in projects with the help of my colleagues and new experiences.

What did you do before your time at msg; how did you come to msg?

Upon the successful completion of my professional training as an IT specialist for system integration, I decided to pursue my vocational certificate in economics as part of a two-year program while working. My plan following that was to begin my studies at a university. Before the application process for that actually got underway, msg services ag contacted me through an internal msg recruiter. There was immediate sense of familiarity during our phone call as well as during my job interview, and they offered me the opportunity to start a remote degree parallel to my work, so it didn't take much to convince me to accept the challenge. Now I have been with msg services for more than two years and I am very happy with the decision I made.

What was it like for you to complete a distance learning course alongside your work as an IT Consultant?

I am also able to easily manage my studies parallel to my work thanks to the freedom IT consultants are given to mainly organize their own work. My remote studies at the Euro-FH also gives me the flexibility and opportunity to acquire my Bachelor of Sciences as I work. As a result of the parallels between my work and my studies, I am frequently able to recognize correlations and successfully implement them into customer projects as well as into my exams. That helps keep me motived in my remote studies and I am already looking forward to the exciting work that awaits me at msg services ag once I complete my studies.

Bettina, what is your current main task?

Today, I work on-site at one of our customer’s locations in close cooperation with the project managers and group leaders in a variety of projects; I offer PMO services such as the hosting of workshops and meetings, preparation and follow-up work for project meetings, documentation of decisions and resolutions, and the optimization of team communication or scheduling. This role remains exciting and I never know what kind of interesting work will come up next.

How did your professional journey at msg begin and how have your tasks changed over time?

When I joined msg services gmbh's Consulting division in 2012 as a “Specialist”, I was able to contribute the professional experience I had gained working with a variety of IT companies and in a variety of roles, as well as the personal development I had experienced to date. At first, I was assigned administrative tasks related to the billing process and was in charge of customer and project support in specific areas of the company.

Over time, my work and the additional topics I was assigned became more complex and processes had to be re-imagined and re-engineered. In addition, there was quality assurance for offers and bids, assisting division managers with budgeting, and financial controlling and monitoring.
My work in a long-term project for a major customer showed time and again just how important close contact with customers and partners really is even in my role.

And what about further training opportunities??

There are always new opportunities available... Our internal training department offers regular workshops that help you prepare for the “Certified Project Management Associate (IPMA® Level D)” exam.
I passed the exam in 2018 thanks to the motivating, supportive and even encouraging collegial environment at msg services.

What are your main tasks, Patrick?

I have been back with msg services since 01/01/2020 and have taken on the role of the Head of the Network Solutions Department. Since 01/01/2021, I have been in charge of the Security Solutions department as well. My tasks include setting up and expanding all the traditional elements in the LAN, WLAN, WAN and IT security environment. I am also responsible for our employees’ ongoing personal development (by the way, we are always on the lookout for new team members and would love to receive your application!) and handle the strategic and technological agenda for future topics. At the moment, I am focused on the development of a managed service portfolio for our customers.

So you are a returnee and have already joined msg for the second time. How did msg convince you again?

In my almost four-year absence from msg, what I really missed was the personal atmosphere. Many of my colleagues had turned into friends and a lot of them are actually still at msg (even if they have moved into different divisions and roles). Employee fluctuation is very low and the number of people who come back is very high. That certainly says something about msg and I, for one, have never found a similar work environment anywhere else.

In addition to my colleagues, I also appreciate the exciting challenges and the opportunity to freely develop my full potential as well as contribute and realize my own ideas.

So you can already look back on a varied career at msg. How do you look back on your first years at msg today?

In summary, I have spent almost 19 years in different units of the msg group. It all started in 1997, when I began my vocational training at GILLARDON AG financial software (now msgGillardonBSM AG). Upon completion of my training, I spent years in internal IT support until the company’s integration into the msg group gave me the opportunity to join the Network & Security team. In hindsight, that was very lucky, since it shaped the future of my professional focus.

As part of the Network & Security team, we focused on the operation of the global internal network and the hundreds of different components it comprised. The constant growth of msg meant the network continued to expand as well. The complexity and diversity of the solutions always fascinated me. There were new challenges to master every day.

What makes your work at msg services so special for you?

I have been a Senior IT Consultant at msg services ag since 2019. What I like is that as a result of our partners and customers, we have the opportunity to work in projects in a variety of industries and with new technologies. I think that is important for our development as employees.

With my previous employers, I always had to choose between consulting or development. At msg services ag, I can do both: support customers with decisions and concepts, then implement and roll out the solution they chose. Thanks to our versatile portfolio, I was not only able to improve my existing skills, but also gain new ones.

How would you describe your work-life balance as a consultant at msg?

ou always hear that consultants have no personal life because of all their travel, but that was not the case at msg services ag. We only do in-person visits to customers when necessary and we have had the option to work from home even before Covid.
As a consultant here, I am free to organize my own work hours and tasks. To me, trust is the most important thing and I experience that at msg.

What is the most fascinating aspect of your current position, Xiaobing?

My current position covers vulnerability management, log analysis activities in SIEM solutions and endpoint protection. An exciting and challenging part of this position is to identify and evaluate daily anomalies and vulnerabilities in the network and to minimize potential cyber risks.

How would you describe your start at msg? Did you have different tasks back then than you do today?

When I joined the Security Solutions department of msg services gmbh in May 2019, I was able to contribute my theoretical experiences with different IT security topics from different research projects.

As a security analyst, I was initially responsible for Privilege Access Management (PAM) and worked on the solution, evaluation and development of a Proof of Concept (PoC). I went on to acquire a series of certificates from the Vulnerability Management Tenable Academy.

What else do you particularly like about your work at msg?

I constantly have the opportunity to develop different competences in new security topics. What I like at msg services is that management is always willing to listen to its employees and colleagues can work together regardless of their age or origin.

Ilka, what is your main task?

I work as a senior specialist in the field of financial services. Within that role I have the opportunity to work with a lot of people at msg services ag and the entire group of companies. Since our main tasks include the planning, management and controlling of all areas of msg services ag and since we receive a lot of data from different sources, a sense of trust and respectful interactions are especially important to us.

You have been with msg services gmbh for many years. What do you particularly like about these years?

In my many years with the company, I have encountered this type of interaction with colleagues and management time and again and I truly appreciate it. We work with great teams at every level!

Our communication channels are short and direct, which allows open issues to be quickly clarified without the red tape. In my opinion, msg services ag is a fair and modern employer, with whom I have gladly worked since 2004.