Three different journeys: Why three women chose Zühlke in Bulgaria

A key strength at Zühlke is the diversity of our people, so it makes sense that they often join for very different reasons. Iliyana had worked around the world for a German automaker and was looking for an opportunity to grow: “I wanted to be trusted, supported, and to have the possibilities to grow, not in the meaning of a different title but the possibilities to engage myself and to use my experience that I have built."

Svetozara came because she didn’t want to choose between interesting work and a supportive culture. For her, “it was a journey to find a place that was not a compromise. I wanted to be challenged technically, work with the best and newest and in an environment that would give me support and team spirit.”

Liliya also came for the opportunity. Having worked for a global professional services firm and a large software company, she joined the then newly opened Sofia office “because it sounded like a great opportunity to learn and help build something.”

People join us for different reasons, but it’s surprising how similar the reasons our people give for staying. One of most common factors is the work colleagues can do. We often work on our clients’ trickiest technical challenges and are lucky to often see the tangible, direct impact of that work. The people who thrive here often share a passion for delivering more impact.

Svetozara loves working on client-facing products. She’s driven day-to-day by a genuine obsession with quality that she is able to realise here. Quality is something the whole team owns, not something any one person can deliver alone.

Liliya's work has never stopped changing, and that is part of what makes it meaningful. She joined as the Bulgaria office was opening its doors when the job was, in her words, everything: "We were just opening the location, and we didn't have a team yet. Everyone was doing a lot of tasks that were not directly linked to their role." That scrappiness built real team spirit from day one, and "seeing the impact of your work was something that I really, really enjoyed." Years later, she finds meaning more in helping others achieve than in her personal achievements.

For Iliyana, the impact is more personal. Her job is matching people to projects, but the part that actually matters, she says, goes beyond a technical skills-match. It’s about reading what stage of life someone's in, and when they need steadier ground instead of a challenge. When a colleague wants to rotate off a project but there's no ready opening, she can't simply leave the client in the lurch. She has to manage both sides at once. "I try to find the best possible match and the right solution for everyone" she says. "Sometimes the person has to wait” but she’ll do everything she can to help because, as she puts it:

"We're not just employees. We're human beings with different needs, goals, and circumstances."

Trust and people-first culture aren’t just buzzwords. They define how our people grow. We pride ourselves on hiring ambitious people and giving them the support to grow, whether directly through their work or other initiatives. The fast-changing nature of business means there are always new opportunities to develop skills or devise and accomplish new professional goals.

Svetozara worked closely with solution architects immediately, and when she expressed an interest in learning more about system design, her team lead sprang into action. “He’s selecting tasks for me that require that knowledge. He’s given me opportunities to talk to other solution architects.” That’s meant she has picked up core skills already and helped her develop new career aspirations. “It’s something I found when I started working here. It wasn't the direction I had considered before, but I’m genuinely incredibly happy with that opportunity for me.”

Whereas Liliya has seen her responsibilities and opportunities change with the business. She’s moved from local responsibilities, to regional, to group level, where “the scale of responsibility changed quite drastically. I started working with leaders in different regions and supporting teams across all of Zühlke.” That growth has been possible because of the support she’s received.

Alongside opportunity, each colleague spoke about how the supportive environment differentiated Zühlke from other employers. Svetozara said that while it was great to not just be “one of the few girls” as had often been the case during her university course, she felt “my voice matters regardless of my gender; I genuinely feel heard and appreciated.”

Iliyana has a frontline view of how the supportive environment works. As Lead Staffing Manager, she is able to match people to situations they can thrive in; for example, if a job requires more days in the office, she can help find the right person for that situation. Seeing senior female leaders across the organisation has a meaningful impact on her own career outlook.

All three colleagues were keen to recommend Zühlke, but each had a different perspective on why. Liliya stressed the excitement of the challenge, saying, “Go for it. You have to be curious, unafraid and up for the challenge. If that’s you, then you’re good to go.” For Illiyana, she highlighted that the opportunities are what stand out. “Your career is a long journey, and here you have the chance to adapt, grow and evolve. There are enough examples of people who have moved between roles over 10 or more years and have been invested in by the company.”

And Svetozara encapsulated the point that we really pride ourselves on at Zühlke. Here, you can do truly meaningful work in a culture that actively supports and champions you. She found what she was looking for and says, “It isn’t a compromise; you can get it all.”