Do you remember your first day at the company? How did you feel, what did you do?
Yes, I definitely remember every moment. I felt excited and enthusiastic at the same time because I always wanted to be part of this company, especially since I participated in two traineeship programs.


Did you have a mentor then? Who inspired you at the beginning of the journey?
Yes, I had a mentor who participated significantly in my professional development. Mr. Ilie Munteanu, whom I can say that even today is my and everyone's mentor - a man with a perfect experience and a lot of knowledge in the field; every day spent with him - we learn something new.

Name three values, skills or rules of successful in this field.
I can say that if you have dedication, wisdom, and resilience, you can achieve anything in life.

What do you think is that secret ingredient to a successful mentor? Are you a mentor with more direct guidance or do you offer more autonomy?
The secret ingredient would be professionalism and love for what you do. I think that if you are supported in your career, directly, at the beginning of the journey, you can teach young people to know and develop their personality, especially when they experience difficulties in certain situations.

What are the values/skills you appreciate the most in the trainee Anca Georgiana Iacob?
What I appreciate most is her ambition, that she really wants to develop, the energy with which she manages to change the mood of the whole group if needed and the passion she puts into everything she does.

Tell us briefly what made you decide to apply for the Together We Grow - Rompetrol Traineeship program.
My decision to apply for the Traineeship program goes back to college, before I finished my studies and submitted my thesis. Behind the application was, of course, the desire to put into practice, as quickly as possible, the knowledge acquired during the years of study, in a place that would help me evolve.
 

What was your biggest fear when you came to the company? How did you overcome it?
I think fear is a normal and common feeling, especially at the beginning of my career, and my biggest fear was the fear of failure, the fear of not being able to perform to my full potential. I managed to overcome this “fear” quite easily, having confidence in my own strength and the environment in the company was a favorable one and helped me relax.
 

How important is it to have a mentor early on and what is the most important piece of advice you received from them?
From my point of view, it is more than necessary to have a mentor at the beginning of the journey –  a person you can rely on, guide you and help you face everyday challenges. The best advice I received from my mentor was to remain open, to trust my own strengths and to stay focused and organized so that I can successfully complete each task.
 

What would you like the mentor-mentee collaboration and communication to look like for a better personal and professional development?
I believe that the most important thing is transparent, direct, and effective communication. Empathy also plays an important role, as people need understanding and support, especially when they are at the beginning of their career. Mistakes are also part of this experience, being a natural thing, and both positive and constructive feedback are essential to succeed in doing things as well as possible.
 

What values/skills do you appreciate most in your mentor?
The responsibility with which he treats things and how engaged he is in everything. Of course, he communicates in a straightforward and easy to understand manner, which is very important, especially when you're at the very beginning. The way you understand information determines how you do your job, and a thing well done must be a thing well communicated.