Spotlight on BWBW Success: In conversation with Erika Di Giuseppe.

Bring Women Back to Work (BWBW) is delighted to introduce Erika Di Giuseppe, PhD .

Erika had a long and successful career as a Geophysicist and Materials Scientist before undertaking a career pivot to the technology industry. From the world of academia in Italy and France, Erika now works as a Salesforce Consultant for Merkle DACH in Switzerland.

Read on to learn more about Erika’s journey.

BWBW: Erika, tell us a little bit about your background and your life as a scientist before you moved to Switzerland.

Erika Di Giuseppe (EDG): I was born and raised in Tivoli, Italy, a beautiful city with a rich history not far from Rome. I have one younger sister and a large extended family. My parents always supported my love of learning and were passionate about education. My mother gifted me books for every occasion while my father instilled in me the belief that women could do anything that men could do, encouraging my curiosity and drive to learn new things from a very young age.

As a child, I was very studious and liked to challenge myself. I never chose the easy path! In high school, I did Classical Studies focusing on literature, Ancient Greek and Latin but when it came to university I decided to study Physics! The first two years were extremely challenging as I had to catch up on all the maths and physics I needed to keep up with my peers. It was so satisfying when I eventually graduated on time, going on to complete my Master’s thesis combining physics, engineering and mathematics.

With my Masters in hand, I left Italy and pursued a Doctorate in Geophysics at the ETH Zürich (University) in Switzerland. My academic career then brought me to France where I had a long research career combining multidisciplinary fields in materials science and geophysics. I met some outstanding minds and people during my time in academia successfully publishing many articles and obtaining patents while teaching and shadowing students in their master’s and doctoral theses.

During these years, I met my husband in Paris and we moved to Antibes in the South of France. In 2017, at the end of my last academic contract, I began to feel the need to follow other stimuli and turned my interest to the IT field, studying Java, Javascript and Python. When I was pregnant with my daughter in 2018, I was delighted to be offered a role as a Java Developer with a large organisation?in France but I sadly had to turn it down. My husband had been offered a role in Switzerland and so as a new mother with a one-month-old baby girl, I arrived in Zürich to a new country, a new language and a completely new environment.

BWBW: Arriving with a newborn in a new country must have been very difficult. How did you overcome the challenges and what led you to apply for the Bring Women Back to Work program in Switzerland?

EDG: My first years in Switzerland were extremely challenging. I was adjusting to life as a new mother, I had to look for a job in a new environment and I had no network. Then the COVID pandemic hit and I faced the loss of my beloved father. It was a difficult and isolating time and with no one responding to my applications, even for the positions where I had the required skills, I began to doubt myself and my abilities.

BUT, I never gave up. I started volunteering and attending networking events, working hard to overcome my natural shyness.? I was lucky enough to attend an event where Vanessa Gentile was presenting the Bring Women Back to Work program. Ivana Spallone , a graduate of the BWBW program, shared her powerful and inspiring story. I went home that same evening and prepared my CV and cover letter. I sent my application the next morning!

BWBW: Erika, tell us about your time with the BWBW program. How did you find the experience?

EDG:? From the moment I heard about it, I knew I wanted to be part of the BWBW program. It presented a clear opportunity to reskill and build my network. It was a daunting task however, the other participants all had sales and marketing backgrounds and I doubted I could do it. I had to convince myself that I was doing the right thing. As always, I persevered, stayed motivated and worked hard. Being part of a group of equally motivated and intelligent women with whom I could share experiences and doubts was invaluable.?

Thanks to the program I also had access to a mentor and coach and they both had a tremendous impact. My coach opened my mind with an exercise that was so helpful and inspirational -? it cleared my mind and helped me find the way. They both contributed to my achievements.

Being part of the program, I felt stronger, more independent and more aware of my abilities. I learned that motivation is a very important ingredient for success, along with perseverance, resilience, the goodwill of others and a little bit of good luck. Despite the challenges I never stopped hoping and studying and the result is that I am proud to be a great example to my daughter.?

BWBW: Tell us about your role, Erika. You work as a Salesforce Consultant with Merkle DACH, a BWBW Hiring Partner.

EDG: I joined Merkle DACH, one of the first partners of the BWBW program, in March 2022 as a Junior Salesforce Consultant. It was my rebirth after all the years of studying, reskilling and searching for a job - a dream come true! I am thankful to those in Merkle who believed in me and allowed me to prove my skills.

In the two years since passing my Salesforce Administrator Certification, as part of the BWBW program, I have gone on to achieve six further Salesforce Certifications during my time with Merkle - Platform App Builder, Business Analyst, Associate, Sales Cloud Consultant, AI Associate, and most recently, Service Cloud Consultant. I have also obtained Professional SCRUM Master and SCRUM Product Owner.

Recently, I was promoted to Salesforce Consultant and am lucky to work with a fantastic group of colleagues. Currently, I am working as a training specialist, preparing and executing courses to support and empower clients in the adoption of the new technology. The goal is to ensure a smooth transition to Salesforce in their org. Moreover, I am studying for a new Salesforce certification.?

BWBW: Erika, do you have any final words for those coming back to work after an extended break?

EDG: My only wish for women returning to the workplace after an extended break is to succeed. Everyone has the right to change their lives, make a career pivot, start a new career or get back into the game after a break. The key is to remain positive and to know that in this journey you are not alone.

Thank you, Erika, for sharing your journey back to work with us. Your career pivot to the technology industry is inspirational to everyone in the Bring Women Back to Work community. We wish you continued success in your career and thank Merkle DACH for their incredible support of the Bring Women Back to Work program.

Together with Merkle DACH we are making a difference for women returners.

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