Spotlight on BWBW Success: In conversation with Urszula Gwiazdowska

Today we are talking to Urszula Gwiazdowska who completed the Bring Women Back to Work (BWBW) program in 2023.?

Urszula returned to work after an extended career break and successfully transitioned from the travel industry to the Salesforce ecosystem. She now works as a Salesforce Project Manager with Medela, a Bring Women Back to Work Hiring Partner.

Read on to find out more.

BWBW: Urszula, let’s talk about where you are from and how you came to live and work in Switzerland.

Urszula Gwiazdowska (UG): I’m originally from Poland but have not lived there for 25 years. From a young age, I have had an adventurous spirit. I love to travel and experience new cultures. When I was 18 years old, I packed my bags and hopped on a long-distance bus to learn English in England. What was supposed to be a two-year stay, turned into an amazing 12-year adventure of living, studying, working and meeting new people. I broadened my horizons and embraced all that life had to offer.

During my time in England, I started my career with a large travel wholesaler where I worked as an Account Manager and was responsible for over 120 key accounts. The company was bought by Kuoni and I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to move to Switzerland to manage the Swiss and Austrian markets. This move was again supposed to be a two-year assignment but 11 years later, I am still here!

Since my move to Switzerland, I have lived in Zürich with my partner and two young children, aged 7 and 4. We’re quite a sporty family so the lifestyle here suits us perfectly. We love swimming in the lake, biking along the Limmat river and grilling in the forest. We also enjoy playing some tennis and running. It’s a beautiful place to live and raise a family.

BWBW: Urszula, what led you to apply for the Bring Women Back to Work (BWBW) program in Switzerland?

UG: With the arrival of my children I decided to take a short, planned career break. I did not plan to stop working for very long but various circumstances and external factors, along with the arrival of the COVID pandemic, meant that the break ended up extending to almost 7 years.?

Despite the circumstances, I stayed productive and used the time to focus on my German language learning, passing exams and achieving C1 level.

When returning to the job market after my break, I knew that working in the travel industry as an Account Manager would no longer be an option for me with a young family, as the job entails so much travel. When considering my options I remembered how integral Salesforce had been to me in my previous role. I had always loved using it for managing my work and developing relationships with my customers. I was determined to re-skill and when reviewing possibilities in Switzerland I was excited to discover the Bring Women Back to Work program. BWBW supports women to re-enter the workforce after a break, specifically in the Salesforce ecosystem. I immediately applied and was delighted to be accepted. My journey of re-skilling and returning to the workforce had begun!

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

UG: I joined the BWBW program in May 2022 and was part of the fifth cohort of women to participate in the program in Switzerland. The year-long reskilling program covers every aspect needed when returning to work. Through the program, I was able to develop my technical skills, by studying and working towards Salesforce certifications, along with workshops on project management and sustainability. There was also a big emphasis on soft skills development with workshops on communication, confidence and leadership. Above all, the program offered the benefit of building a professional network in Switzerland. This was the true highlight for me as I had fantastic access to Salesforce events and other networking opportunities as part of the program.

During my personal journey, I was really dedicated to my study for Salesforce certifications. Being a mother of two, I often had to study late at night when my children were asleep. I worked hard and am now a Salesforce Certified Associate, Administrator and Business Analyst.?

In addition, I also personally undertook certifications in Google Project Management and Scrum Master, outside of the BWBW program, to further enhance my skills. Along with this, I sought practical hands-on experience working as a Salesforce Business Analyst on a project for an NGO promoting female entrepreneurship in Poland. I did everything I could to gain experience and secure a role.

Without a doubt, the journey back to work after a break is full of ups and downs. You experience periods of high motivation along with tough periods where you have to cope with obstacles and rejection - the highs and lows of the application and job interview process. In those moments, the support of others was key to me succeeding and I am really grateful to all the women in the BWBW community that got me through the difficult moments of the return to work process.

BWBW: Urszula, you ultimately got a job with Medela, a BWBW Hiring Partner. Can you tell us how this came about and a little about the company and your role today?

UG: Medela is a global company, based in Switzerland, that supports millions of moms, babies and patients with their innovative products, ranging from breast milk feeding and baby products to healthcare solutions for hospitals in maternity, NICU, wound, and surgical care. I had used Medela products when my children were babies and I loved and trusted the brand.

Medela is a hiring partner of the Bring Women Back to Work program as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility Program, Medela Cares. As a result of this partnership, I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview with Medela and ultimately secured a job as a Salesforce Project Manager with the Medela Global Sales Excellence team.

Medela is a great company to work for. They are really committed to their employees professional growth and well-being with dedicated programs and flexible working models. As a working parent, I appreciate this and I currently work 4 days a week. The company does a lot in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion and promotes inclusive leadership.?

In my role with the Global Sales Excellence team I am focused on improving sales processes while leveraging Salesforce (SFDC) capabilities. As part of my day to day responsibilities I work on SFDC improvement projects which I follow from start to finish: gather requirements, create Change Requests (CRs) liaise with the Developers to make sure users’ expectations are met, test, create release notes, train users etc. Another important part of my job is to prepare and run SFDC training sessions for our sales teams worldwide and expand SFDC knowledge and its usage.?

I am a part of a small but very supportive team. The responsibilities of the team extend beyond SFDC, which gives me a great opportunity to learn from my colleagues and my manager and expand my skill set.

BWBW: Urszula, as you reflect on your journey back to work, what did you learn from your experiences and do you have any advice for women who are considering returning to work after a break?

UG: As I reflect, I realize that at heart I have always been pretty adventurous and not afraid to take risks - just think of the 18-year-old me getting on that 23-hour bus ride to England! However, during my career break, I lost some of that spirit and ultimately I am thankful that BWBW reawakened that spirit in me. Joining the program after my break helped me to push myself and start doing things out of my comfort zone again.

My key message for women who want to return to the workplace after a break is that reskilling and starting something new, whether you are in your 30s, 40s or 50s, will not be easy. But, if you are committed, work hard, and are willing to take risks and embrace the discomfort, IT IS POSSIBLE. It takes time, so stay focused on the goal, no matter how many setbacks come your way.

Huge congratulations, Urszula on your success with the Bring Women Back to Work program and your transition to a new career with our hiring partner, Medela. We wish you continued success in your career and thank Medela for their incredible support of the program through Medela Cares.?

With the commitment of partners like Medela, we are making a difference for women who are returning to the workplace after an extended break.

To read more about Medela Cares, Medela’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, please click here.

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