Our series of interviews with the Clarity team continues. Today we would like to introduce our experienced ERP consultant, Andriiana Lukashuk. If you were to meet her in person, you would be fascinated by her charisma, beauty, and the vastness of her personality. We are very happy that Clarity Ukraine attracts not only cool consultants and professionals to its team but also full, interesting people with many hobbies, creativity, and powerful inner strength.
Andriiana, tell us about your career. How did you become an ERP consultant?
My story is very interesting because I was looking for a part-time job the summer before I went abroad and I got an interview with the company. I went through almost all the stages, but at the last stage, I told them that I had plans to study abroad. Of course, I was rejected because I only had to work for 1-2 months, and to become a great ERP consultant, you need to constantly invest your time in development. My story didn’t end there, because when I returned to Ukraine, I decided to try again and sent my resume. They remembered me, and I had another interview, after which I was offered a job as an ERP consultant.
And now I have been working in this field for almost 6 years. Would I have ever thought of doing this? Of course not. But life is an interesting thing, and I’m glad I found these opportunities.
What education do you have?
I studied International Economics as a Bachelor and International Accounting and Auditing as a Master at the Kyiv National Economic University.
Who influenced your choice of studies and profession?
First of all – my mother, but also my math teacher, invited representatives of KNEU to our school and told me that I should study there. But the result I have now is mainly due to me because I decided to develop myself in a profession I didn’t even study for.
What was your first experience in ERP, and what tasks did you get involved in?
I still remember my first big project, I had just finished my probationary period and they decided to involve me in an implementation project for a large manufacturer, Rud, and I was responsible for the transport logistics and sales processes. My first business trip took place in my 4th month of work. It was a very valuable experience for me, as I participated in the project launch in Zhytomyr with my colleagues and we helped users to master the new system.
What key skills and qualities do you think are necessary for a successful ERP consultant?
I think flexibility is essential because every client is unique and has interesting processes within the company. Responsibility, the ability to build relationships with the team, and sometimes multitasking are also important.
How have you developed your knowledge and skills for professional growth?
My development path has been quite harmonious because when I was ready for new stages of professional growth, the appropriate tasks and challenges came my way. Every year I set high goals for myself and try to achieve them because there is always room for development.
Is it important for an ERP consultant to have experience with different ERP systems?
I think it is much more important to understand the customer’s processes and architecture. Since ERP systems can be different, it is important to understand what the customer wants to get in the end.
Do you have a favorite module or feature of Business Central that you like to implement for customers?
It’s always interesting to implement sales-related processes because often the customer has his particularities in the company. And that is always a challenge: how to adapt the customer’s processes to the standard functionality.
What do you like most about your job and the IT consulting industry?
The constant evolution, as a system, is constantly evolving and you need to follow the news to offer more opportunities to potential clients.
What advice would you give to people who want to start a career as an ERP consultant?
Don’t be afraid of new things and be prepared for a lot of information, because in the beginning the foundation is laid, which is the key to success for professional growth.
What are your predictions for the future of ERP consulting?
In my opinion, the ERP sphere in Ukraine is still in its infancy, because very few people know about it, and it is something that is only now developing and beginning to interest a wider range of people. In general, it is very interesting to see how technologies develop and how companies learn to adapt to them.
Do you think the role of an ERP consultant will change in the coming years?
I think it will. Because more and more companies want to use standard functionality instead of customizing it. This will lead to a certain standardization of processes, and the role of the consultant will be reduced to training company employees on what is in the system, rather than setting technical tasks for developers and testing them.
Do you have any interesting stories or examples from your work that you would like to share?
Interesting stories are always connected with business trips because we are looking for a balance between work and leisure. I remember when we were on a business trip to Zhytomyr, where nothing stopped us from walking around the city to see the famous bridge and the Ice-cream Monument.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
I like snowboarding, wakeboarding, and swimming. I am also discovering tennis and padel. In general, I try to be very active outside of work. I also like to go to different exhibitions and theaters.