Interview with BTU Alumna Maria Sobur (eBusiness)

Maria Sobur came to Cottbus from Ukraine to study eBusiness and now works as a data scientist at Facebook Germany.

Why did you choose Germany as your place of study?
My brother took part in a student exchange program back in 2002, which at the time was between BTU and Dnipropetrovsk National University in Ukraine. He was already enthusiastic about life in Germany and BTU in particular and inspired me with his stories. After my studies in Ukraine, I really wanted to continue studying abroad and sent my documents to a few universities in Europe. In the end, I decided on Germany because I saw the opportunity here to finance my life and studies independently.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg?
The relationships between teachers/staff members and students. It may be normal for some, but for me these relationships were very special. In Ukraine, unfortunately, you often find an arrogant attitude of professors towards students. It may be that BTU is an exception because of its relatively small size. Here I learned what it means when a professor always takes time for every student and, more than that, is very happy when a student comes by to explain something. The biggest surprise for me was to see that it is even possible to have a beer with a professor or a university employee and talk about abstract topics.

Why did you choose the study programme you did? Have you regretted this choice?
I completed a Master's degree in pure Mathematics in Ukraine. Although the study programme was very interesting, it was a bit too theoretical for me. In Germany, I wanted to study something more applied. I found the eBusiness study programme very exciting for me, as it consists of two important parts: Business modules and programming, plus a small block of Mathematics and some eBusiness modules. It was a perfect combination for me and if I had the opportunity to choose the study programme again, I would stick with it.

How do you remember Cottbus as a place to study?
I know that some students think Cottbus is too small or even boring. But I had several friends outside the university and so my life in Cottbus was never boring. Cottbus is a relatively cheap city in Germany and you can reach everything by bike. Now I live in Hamburg and I miss the time when I could meet friends on the street, in a store or on the bus.

How did you finance your studies at BTU? Was this easy to do in Cottbus?
I had several part-time jobs: all 6 years I had several HiWi positions at the university, I did math tutoring, I worked as a waitress, I did some projects for the DGB union as well as designing flyers or banners for demonstrations or actions in Photoshop; one semester I even worked at STURA, I did websites as a freelancer and much more. I think like this: Some are looking for reasons, others are looking for an opportunity. I always had a job; whether it paid well or badly is another question.

How did you cope with the bureaucracy in Germany? Did you receive any help from the university?
Of course. Of course there was a lot of paperwork, especially at the beginning, but I always had the feeling that there would be people to help me get it all done. Of course, I received a huge amount of support from the International Office, which is now the International Relations Office at BTU.

What would you recommend to students now? What should they definitely not miss out on during their studies?
Don't be afraid to approach members of the faculty if you have any questions. Students are always welcome at any department. Apply for a student assistant position at the university. You can gain invaluable experience for your future career during your studies.

What career goals did you have before your studies? Did your goals change during your studies?
Yes, to be honest, I originally wanted to become a web designer. But I couldn't afford to study in Germany. Now I'm more than happy that it didn't work out, as I think what I'm doing right now is much more exciting. Everything happens for the best in our lives.

How easy was it for you to find a job after graduating?
After graduating, I got 5 acceptances for internships. These included companies like Vatenfall, Thomas Cook, Goodgame Studios etc. It was then relatively easy to find a job after the internship.

Were internships a plus for starting a job and was the content you learned during an internship useful and meaningful for starting a job later?
Yes, the internship at Goodgame Studios actually shaped my further professional development.

What does a normal working day look like for you? What is your favorite part of your job?
As an Agency Measurement Partner, I work with the largest media agencies in the DACH market to develop best practices in measuring advertising effectiveness on Facebook, which in turn provides impetus for the agency strategy. This includes collaborating with market research companies and designing individual studies to test the effectiveness of Facebook marketing solutions. I also help agencies to improve the quality of their planning. I work with complex data sets and various stakeholders, such as internal international teams from Product Development, Creative, Marketing, etc. My usual working day includes several meetings and communication with my colleagues from all over the world and sometimes also with our clients. My work is very interesting, but also very responsible. As a Data Scientist in the Marketing Science department, I have a lot of data from the advertising campaigns at my disposal, which I analyze and prepare and use to gain data-based insights that we can present to our clients. I really like the fact that I have a lot of freedom at work and can also implement my own ideas.

Were there any disadvantages in the application process after your studies because you are not originally from Germany?
No. The most important thing was that I have a German degree and can also converse in German.

Would you do anything differently in retrospect?
No.

Do you have any other general tips for current students starting their careers?
It is very important to have a clear goal in mind. What do I want to be? What do I really enjoy? You have to realize that nowadays work is half of life in our society and if we spend our time doing something we don't like, we are wasting our lives.

What could we improve/add at BTU to make it easier for graduates to get a job?
Personally, I missed modules such as data analysis, big data or business intelligence. These days, such knowledge is in high demand on the job market and I think a study programme like eBusiness could offer more modules in this area.

You now live in Hamburg - do you miss anything about life in Cottbus?
I live in Hamburg and consider Cottbus to be my home town in Germany. I really miss the time I spent there and always enjoy going back to visit my friends in Cottbus.

What is your best memory of the BTU?
The international cultural festival "Cottbus Open". It was always so much fun! With delicious food and drinks from different countries around the world, with authentic dances and traditional music! We always waited all year for this festival!