Success Story – Mirla Cohen, Systems Analyst, Hightex Applications / by Hadas Shimoni
mirla cohen, 40, worked at various different jobs and even made a career change. after two years of working as a pedagogical consultant she decided to return to her roots, to the fields of electronics and computers, which she had first been exposed to in high school. a year ago mirla found her job as a systems analyst at partner communications via hightex applications, a position she found through the jobnet site.
“i went through a professional retraining program to become an information systems analyst and immediately after the course started working at orbotech. while on the job i underwent specialized training in systems analysis. when my third son was born i decided to stay home for a while with the baby and after a year i re-entered the job market. a short time later i got hired at hightex applications.”
hightex applications is a computer services company specializing in implementing applications at organizations with an emphasis on erp systems, oracle applications, crm and billing systems. hightex provides its clients in each of its areas of operations the following services: consulting services, system assimilation and training, applications development, outsourcing, project management and more.
mirla cohen, systems analyst
as i mentioned, after the birth of my third son i decided to “abandon” the job market and become a fulltime mother for a year. when i began looking for a job, despite my previous experience in managerial positions, i imposed a number of limitations on myself, including convenient work hours, an interesting workplace and a pleasant company. also, i wanted to devote myself and contribute more in the field of systems analysis than in management.
what drew you to systems analysis?
systems analysis is fundamentally different from programming in terms of the type of work and the areas of operations. since i came from the world of programming i felt i lacked direct contact with the customer and interaction with people, so i decided to specialize and delve into systems analysis, which combines logical thinking, creativity, an understanding of business processes and analyzing them according to the demands made by the business in the area of computing.
how did you conduct your job search? which positions did you apply for?
i sent my resume to placement companies and at the same time i signed up for the major job-search websites, including jobnet’s user-friendly site, which allows quick, convenient and focused searching. i distributed my resume widely, applying for every job that sounded interesting, and then i screened all the replies i received based on criteria i had set for myself.
i was looking for non-managerial positions that focused on systems analysis. i also applied for positions that offer an option of part-time work. finding a synthesis of a challenging job that offered innovative and interesting elements with the right amount of quality time with my kids was very important to me.
did you adjust quickly after a year of not working?
like with any new job at first i was a bit worried i was out of practice, since i hadn’t worked for a year. i was unfamiliar with the company and its operations, but i quickly learned about it and acquired expertise in the system, which was new to me. my integration wasn’t long and i even enjoyed those first days, despite the pressure involved in taking up a new job.
which projects are you working on at partner?
at partner my work focuses on understanding the projects partner is launching, such as advertising campaigns, regulations issued by the communications ministry, such as a ban on sending spam, and adapting the crm system to support the entire business process the project is promoting. i participate in meetings outside of the organization in order to understand, analyze and write the characterization and the requirements and developments our department has to meet in any project of this type. i also provide support for the existing system and help solve glitches.
how would you describe hightex applications?
hightex is a small, intimate company whose owners attach a lot of importance to keeping their employees happy. the managers are in constant contact with all of the outsourcing workers and try to provide quick responses any time a problem arises.
do you feel you’ve advanced professionally since arriving here?
definitely. i’ve achieved my aspiration since my job as a systems analyst at partner meets all of the criteria i set for myself. from a professional standpoint i’ve advanced laterally and i’ve developed skills using additional tools. until a year ago i specialized in oracle applications and bi, whereas today i’m branching out into crm systems and siebel analysis.
can your job at hightex be described as a successful match?
certainly, both professionally and personally. i’m happy i’ve had the chance to come to a company that’s warm and sensitive toward its employees. there are always people to talk to, even on matters that go beyond work. hightex has made a concerted effort to find a place well suited to me, and in the end i was accepted to work at partner.
do you have advice for jobseekers?
yes. it’s important to write your resume right and make it aesthetic, compact and very business-like. and when you come in for a job interview you should stress your strengths in your field, arrive with self-confidence and convey a positive spirit.
sagi peled, joint ceo along with yoav nehorai, how has working with the jobnet site contributed to your recruitment process?
the jobnet site definitely contributes to and streamlines our recruitment process. the site regularly sends us large amounts of quality resumes for the range of jobs we advertise.
has hightex applications been affected by the worldwide economic crisis?
like many companies, there has been an impact on us as well, in one form or another. the number of jobs our customers are ordering is down and the standards for the personnel our customers are accepting is very high, due to the large supply of candidates. to deal with this situation we assess the candidates we send to companies very thoroughly. in spite of the worldwide crisis and recession, last month we started presenting and assimilating a new middleware product.
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