My name is Nesrin Denizer, I am a biologist by training, having studied at Ruhr University Bochum at the time. Since it is difficult for biologists to get a permanent job, I changed the direction of my career. After a few detours, I joined the economics and administration department at RUB. As of today, I have been employed at the Chair of Educational Psychology and Educational Technology at RUB for over 10 years. My activities currently include general budgeting and budget balancing, communication and correspondence with third party funders, financial calculation of international projects – including EU projects –, online submission of project proposals, personnel matters of the chair (applications for employment and continued employment of academic staff, invitations to tender, sitting in on interviews), as well as secretarial management (assisting the chair holder and general secretarial duties).
During my employment at Ruhr University Bochum so far, I have constantly expanded my knowledge by successfully participating in numerous further training courses, such as my work shadowing at several administrative departments at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and my visit to a language school in London. From September of this year, I am aiming for further training to become a business administrator. I am very interested in continuing my education – keyword: lifelong learning.
Which aspects of your work/function do you appreciate the most?
I am happy filling the role of point of contact for the chair and therefore, I am keen to solve all kinds of issues. As the focal point, I manage knowledge at the chair. I like communicating and making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible by having my supervisor’s and the other scientists’ back. I love being part of a team where work is structured and result-oriented.
I value most that my work has a direct impact on the overall result in the scientific field, and that I can work independently. But also, that I am part of an incredible team and the contact and focal point for all people at the chair, and that my activities are very diversified. Additionally, I appreciate being able to continue my education and having a good and supportive atmosphere at the chair.
What do you consider as the most important impacts of your work (e.g. for science, for the scientific community, or for your team)?
Through my work, my team can save valuable resources such as time and energy as they do not have to deal with administrative issues.
Do you think appreciation is important at work? And in which form?
In my opinion, appreciation is very important in the workplace. It motivates everyone in the team, and you enjoy coming to work. People are more productive and put more effort into achieving good results. Appreciation is expressed in mutual respect, but also in monetary terms and giving employees the opportunity to develop.
What would your ideal workday look like?
My ideal working day starts with wishing each other a good morning in Slack, talking a bit about the weather or whether there is anything new. Then I clear the air by handling urgent e-mail requests. Next, I plan the day with the three most important tasks and check which meetings are coming up, while having some coffee. Then I begin with my most important task and continue working on it until it is completed. I always aim to move the difficult or creative tasks into the morning, because I simply have the most energy for them at the beginning of the day and can therefore deliver the best results. After that, I carry on with working on my other tasks. Then I have lunch and a break. After the break, I open my to-do list and prioritize again what I should tackle next. These are now usually smaller, administrative tasks that do not require so much energy. While I like using all communication channels, sometimes I run into staff offices and solve important tasks in a pleasant chat.
