Maya Stancheva: You need actions, if you want to be good, you don't hope, you do it

21.05.2024

"WorkTalent Presents" is a column on our job and internship platform where we will introduce you to business leaders who will give their career advice based on their career path experience over the years.

"You can't rise and develop qualitatively if you don't love your work," says Maya Stancheva, my next guest in the column.
Who is she?

My name is Maya Stancheva, I joined the team of "Investbank" AD in February 2020, heading the "Sales and Branch Network Coordination" department. A few months later, I became a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Director. My entire career has been in the banking sector.

How did your career start? Which moments of your first steps are defining and memorable?

My career began in the front office of a commercial bank, a former branch of the BNB. As I said above - I have gone through all kinds of positions in the banking world - Credit inspector, Relationship manager for large corporate clients, Head of the Foreign Exchange Department, Manager of a bank branch, Regional Director for Sofia in two large commercial banks... My professional path is extremely colorful and this helps me a lot because every experience is valuable.

Perhaps the most defining thing for my career was a training that I was able to attend at the very beginning of my professional career. I had been working in a bank office for a few months when a competition was announced to train young bankers in London. I had the great chance to appear in this competition, even though I was very young and with only a few months of experience. It turned out that I was the only one in the bank office in question who knew English. The competition took place in several stages and I managed to qualify and go to London, which for a young girl at the beginning of her career was a real adventure and achievement. We were there for a month, being trained by elite professors and bankers. As visitors, we had the opportunity to see how world-famous banks work, including the Stock Exchange. It was like the Capital City movies. There was a lecturer, a top manager in a leading bank in the City of London, a dignified gentleman in his 70s. He shared many truths about banks that still hold true today and I can safely say that he lit the spark and made me look at this financial world with different eyes. I think this played a decisive role in my career in the banking sector.

What are your three most valuable professional qualities?

The first is that I have very good expertise as a result of all this experience that I have gained over the years from the various positions that I have held. The truth is, some things are not taught in textbooks. I am decisive and brave, I don't think too long, and this is very important in modern management, because if you don't react in time, it could mean missed opportunities. The third quality I will list is my ability to get along with all kinds of people. Most people like to work with their own kind - according to their standard and yardstick and reject anything different from them. I'm the exact opposite. I think that in the modern and modern world, we should be more broken and not set boundaries for ourselves. Our bank recently signed the Diversity Charter – the document ratifies steps to implement diversity and equality of opportunity policies regardless of gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, age, religion or belief, race or ethnicity. The Diversity Charter is a joint initiative of the Center for the Study of Democracy and the Bulgarian Forum of Business Leaders (BFBL) with the aim of promoting diversity management in our country through the creation, presentation and implementation of a national Diversity Charter. The project was financed under the "Rights, Equality and Citizenship" program (2014-2020) of the European Union.

When do you enjoy going to work?

I enjoy coming to work every day. But the truth is, I haven't always felt that way. A lot of credit for that goes to the great team we've built. It took time and it didn't work right away, but now every stone weighs in its place and we work like a well-oiled machine.

What would motivate you to be loyal to a company?

I will talk specifically about our bank - the excellent spirit that reigns in the bank. A team of top professionals, formed and encouraged to move forward personally by the owner of the bank - this communication is extremely valuable to me and very effective for the development of the business.

How important is the value of the monthly remuneration to you?

In view of the above, for me this is not the only and determining factor. Yes, everyone works for a salary, but it's not all about money.

Should we be friends with our coworkers?

A difficult question. I know how to quickly melt the distance with the employees, but I never forget that the interest of the institution I work for comes first.

How many years do we need to change jobs to advance in our careers, and what is the clearest sign that it's time for a change?

From my experience, I can say that if a person feels good, if he is qualified and competent, he does not need to change the institution, but he can change positions, developing forward and upward.

Should we be careful what we write on social networks and how it affects our career development?

I am cautious about this, especially from my position as an executive director. Nowadays, social networks are the fastest and most used way to share information. I mainly follow LinkedIn. Everything there is only professionally oriented and even useful.

What is the most valuable advice you have received in your career?

Very easy question for me. The advice was to be confident in myself and never use the word combination "I hope", but to bet on another statement - "I will do it". It takes action if you want to be good, you don't hope, you do.

So, what career advice would you give?

To love their work, for me this is the most important thing - you cannot rise and develop qualitatively if you do not love your work.