Describe some challenges that you face in your current role?

Hi, Arto, I hope our experts will be able to help with the locked account - I'll focus on the challenges-related question.
Like all, I am dealing with the challenges working fully online causes, not having a lot of opportunities to really meet my close colleagues, so the distance, being constantly online, struggling with the diminishing border between work and home/family, sitting in the same environment.
We also have a very complex organisation and to make progress with topics, projects, to reach consensus for a decision takes more time, more alignment and requires patience, extra collaboration and communication skills.
There is also the ambiguity factor due to the socio-economic context, tied closely to Covid and uncertainty - directly affecting my work.
Despite these factors, thanks to amazing colleagues, we keep on going and can joke, laugh and have fun in meetings as well - this certainly helps deal with and overcome the challenges.

Hi Arto R. – I hope that your day is going well – Thank you for asking this thought-provoking question. First, I will provide some context into my professional background. I’m a Learning Solutions Consultant where I manage the logistics and resources for technical and product training deployments for Nokia customers in the Americas. I’ve enjoyed being a learning and development professional and have worked in this area of Human Resources for more than 20 years (the past six years with Nokia). The other roles I’ve performed during my career (i.e., technical writing, courseware development, project management, technical instructor, and technical manager) have prepared me well for my current job’s responsibilities. I have two undergraduate degrees in engineering technology as well as a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Education (with specialization in corporate training & knowledge management and training & performance improvement). Have also earned master’s certification in project management and project management professional certification. I work from my home office in the US.

Among the most significant challenge I face in my current role is keeping up with the rapid pace of change in technology sectors. Nokia is constantly changing its products, services, and business practices to better serve its customers. Nokia customers are constantly upgrading their Nokia products and technologies, which impacts the Nokia training services I help provide as well as the modes (instructor-led training synchronous, versus virtual/WebEx enabled synchronous training, web-based asynchronous training, hybrid trainings, etc.). The tools I use to do my job are also constantly evolving to improve my workplace effectiveness and efficiency. Another challenge is effective communications within a global corporation with hundreds (perhaps thousands) of virtual teams. I communicate many times each day with customers throughout the Americas and employees with colleagues around the globe. Working outside of brick-and-mortar office environment means that we must communicate frequently and effectively to accomplish job tasks and to maintain working relationships. We mostly use soft phones, email, texts, messaging, and web-conferencing to communicate. I can’t recall the last workday that I did not use all these communications tools.

Because customer expectations must be met and exceeded, another important challenge is to get the logistics (customer training delivery proposals, selecting correct training course(s), delivery mode (WebEx, etc.), start/end times, time zones, participant lists, payment details, country holidays, etc.) and resources (technical trainer identifications and assignments, training equipment lab identification and reservations, classroom assignments as needed, addressing issues that arise before, during, and after the training events I arrange, etc.). Last year, I managed about 600 customer training requests; one year the number of requests managed exceeded 1,000.

I also support other Learning Solution Consultants inside and outside of my region, serve on several project teams, provide training delivery data/presentation materials for upper management, attend customer and internal meetings, support some recruitment activities, etc. in addition to my main job. That said, as you might expect, another key challenge is time management. My workday typically begins about 7:30 AM each morning but sometimes starts earlier if needed. I do not have a specific set end time for my workday. My workday ends when I feel that I have addressed the items needed to keep my clients and customers satisfied with the training services received from Nokia. Often, I find myself working into the evenings; for example, right now it is approaching midnight as I respond, as a Nokia Insider, to your question and to those from others. I’ve chosen to work the many hours I do as far back as I can recall – during my military days, during my college days, while employed by other corporations, and now with Nokia. Similar for many of my colleagues; where they take their contributions to their team, group, and the corporation very seriously. In part, the inspiration I gain from my work is attributable to the fantastic people with whom I work. I consider many of my colleagues to also be my friends. I consider their successes to be just as important as my own, and they consider my success to be as important as their own.

Thank you again for your question. I hope that my response has helped you know some of the challenges that I face in your current role as a Nokia Learning Solutions Consultant. Best Regards, Charles

Hi Arto,

It's very simple, you will have to click on forgot password/unlock my account link on the career site and the system will send you the default password on your registered email. You can create a new password and you can set it up again.