I've Learned so Much in Such a Short Amount of Time

Name: Alison Cross 
Role: Consultant
Practice: Digital Transformation
Location: Chicago 
Joined Sogeti: 2018 

I feel like I was meant to be a consultant, and I love my current role. I did not want to work for one company on one project with one programming language forever. I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could, touch an unlimited amount of technologies, and grow with industry trends. In my short time at Sogeti, I’ve learned some really important lessons:

• Make a good impression at the beginning of your career— Making yourself known is so important. My first year at Sogeti changed my life. Before I started, I wasn’t sure that I would be able to “keep up” with my peers, deliver on my tasks or make it in the real world, but I quickly grew into myself. I became a confident developer and a leader within my team. Now I feel like I can take on anything!
• Say ‘yes’ to work events— No matter how cliché this might sound, the first thing I would tell a new hire is that you get out of Sogeti what you put into it. Especially in your first year, participate as much as possible! Make the time for all the events Sogeti puts on. The events are fun and can help you in your career, and it is so important to network as a consultant within the Sogeti community.
• Volunteer—I'm passionate about technology and helping others. Luckily, at Sogeti I can do both! I have been able to volunteer with Sogeti Women In Illinois (SWIL), creating a lesson plan and teaching girl scouts how to code as well as volunteer with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Summer of Service program.
• To become a leader, act like one—Becoming the leader of Knowledge in Motion (KiM) and a Sogeti Counselor has definitely been a highlight of my time at Sogeti. KiM has made a huge difference in helping me learn as fast as possible as I move through different projects. It has been so rewarding to help grow the Sogeti community in Chicago and to mentor someone in the same place I was not too long ago. Taking ownership of KiM has been incredibly rewarding.
• Stand out and don’t be a bystander— Share your ideas and fight for what you think is right. See an area that can be improved? Improve it! When you put your all into your work, people take notice. My dad had a massive influence on me and has inspired me so much because he is truly self-made. His work ethic is in my genes (thanks dad!) and he always taught us the meaning of earning things for yourself and being grateful for what you have.

Finishing my first project was a defining moment in my life and career. I walked in feeling like I knew nothing at the very beginning of a massive, important project. In the end, I walked out never knowing I could learn so much in such a short time, so proud of everything I have accomplished. Sogeti is a family. We all have fun together, we solve problems together, and we help each other out.