Alumnus of the month: Marcus Persson

Name: Marcus Persson
Current profession and city: Business developer and application manager with focus on IT at Kalmar Energi

What did you study at Linnaeus University and when did you graduate?

“I studied on the information systems programme in Växjö, with specialisation in business development, and graduated in 2006”.

What do you work with?

“I started working as business developer at Kalmar Energi in September 2018. I work partly as application manager for some of our IT systems. Within the administration, I’m currently working with structuring and management of the administrative work to lead it forward in its entirety. Other areas that I work with in parallel are, for instance, Internet of Things (ioT) and computer analyses. I really enjoy both being on the forefront and working with the company’s challenges, with focus on the future and what it brings with it, but also working with the administration to make it even better. Concrete examples of what I have done so far are project management for a database migration and carrying out analyses and decision-making basis for purchases of new systems. Kalmar Energi as a whole will be digitalised and this requires development and changes to work processes”.

What is most fun about your job and what do you consider the biggest challenge?

“The challenging part about the role is to challenge our activities with new ways of working and new thinking. I came to Kalmar Energi at a moment when I could be part of this work from the beginning and this feels very exciting and rewarding. The energy industry gets a lot of attention and a lot will happen during the upcoming years. Greater demands on, for instance, collection of data from electricity meters will require change, something that triggers me. The journey that we are disembarking on at Kalmar Energi will require that we roll up our sleeves and really have a look at the organisation to see how we can improve what we are doing today with the help of digital tools and support”.

“It’s really great fun to be part of the IT industry right now. The technology is in constant change and we must keep up with that development. The tempo is high and quick decisions are needed, in particular in the role as application manager”.

What did you do to establish yourself on the labour market?

“I moved quickly from education to professional life. Partly due to the fact that the market for IT specialists is good at the moment, but I was also very eager to start working. During my studies at the university, I kept a close eye on what companies were possible and interesting employers. I made sure to present myself to different companies and also ask what they do and how they think of the future, with an open mind. By doing so, I already had established contacts when it was time for me to start applying for a job”.

“More specifically, I constantly sought new challenges on the side of my studies. I ran my own business within systems and web development, held an internship position as IT specialist and worked as a personal coach in study techniques for students at Linnaeus University. During my last semester, I actively applied for a job at CGI and got an employment there before I completed my studies, and also did my degree project at that company. At CGI, I worked with systems development, systems design, and systems architecture and towards the end of my close to three years at the company I had a central role in the delivery of a system. After that, I moved on to a position as business developer at Kalmar Energi”.

What do you bring with you from your studies at Linnaeus University? Is there anything that has been made possible thanks to your education?

“My education is the foundation on which I rest. I would not have been given my first job had it not been for my education. I also had the opportunity to start a business of my own when I was a student. And I’ve gotten friends that I’m still in touch with. During my final run at CGI I even recommended one person with whom I had studied, so we got to work together for a while, which was great fun”.

What is your relation to Linnaeus University today?

“At CGI, I had some contact with Linnaeus University concerning degree projects and internship positions. I then brought this contact with me to Kalmar Energi. Currently, we have identified the area of computer analysis and data warehouse as a field within which we at Kalmar Energi could benefit from a degree project. Our hope is that this could provide us with a basis for future challenges”.

Could you offer some career tips?

• Be active during your studies and establish networks through, for instance, internship, a job on the side, and do your degree project at a company.
• Don’t be afraid to be new at work. Employers like that you’re curious and question things. As a new employee you can often bring a new perspective.
•  Show ambition, even if you’re not new at work. If you show ambition you will get far. It’s basically about staying curious and keeping questioning old ways of thinking.
• Have a job that you enjoy and are happy with.