About Me
We probably don't know each other yet, so let me introduce myself!
I work as a career counsellor and trainer, online and also on site, wherever the project takes me.
I transit between my many homes:
Berlin that I call home for more than a decade
Budapest where I grew up and most of my family lives
Lima where my niece lives
Other places in Europe where my close friends live or wherever exciting projects await.
I'm also former controller and marketing & sales manager. I am an event manager and founder. And more. I am also a passionate hiker, a hobby painter, a restless traveller, soon-to-be outdoor educator, an advocate of life-long learning. Double citizen: Hungarian by birth, German by time.
I've Had Many Transitions in My Life
I moved countries many times and travelled long-term:
I grew up in the suburbs of Budapest
2008 to study Maastricht, the Netherlands
2010 for half a year to Lima on a university exchange
2011 back to Hungary, my parent's place
2012 to Berlin with a backpack and a suitcase
2015 to visit Peru, in order to, among other things, see my niece and backpacking to and through Ecuador
2017 transition from student life to a 9-to-5 job. Spoiler: it did not last long!
2018 my transformative journey over 8 months on three continents
2023 to see my niece in Peru - and immerse myself in my sister-in-law's family
2023 to move to the countryside, 1.5-hours South of Berlin
2024 move back to Berlin
I moved between different sectors and industries:
Gastronomy: next to my studies, I worked what I could: dishwashing, service, bartender, from local pub to Michelin star restaurant
Logistics: my first full-time job in Hungary, a coordination agent
Medical device, healthcare: from internship, through student job to full-time worker! I got to understand the German healthcare (and definitely the reimbursement system) in ways I never expected to.
Start-up: we turned crazy ideas into tangible product, I supported friends in setting up their café or mobile app.
Coaching: I spent two years at the Coaching Akademie, where everyone breathed and spoke systemic coaching.
PR agency: a dynamics company in the heart of Berlin, where I understood that my marketing knowledge from a decade ago was completely obsolete.
Non-profit: besides supporting various initiatives, I entered the non-profit sector part-time in 2018. By starting my initiative and working with Pro Progressione on Erasmus+ projects and more, I acquired a solid picture of the Central-European civil sector.
Celebrating Dutch culture & King's Day
St Paddy's in the Irish Pub in Berlin
On the road for 8 months
The Road to Who I am Today
My First Day in Berlin, 2012
2012 I came to Berlin to spend a few months with friends and to learn German...
I moved with a suitcase and a backpack, and a sprained ankle, on a mid-October overnight OrangeWays bus ride. For the first week, I stayed at my friend’s. I was determined to learn German.
One of my first job interviews was for selling currywurst at Frankfurter Allee in winter (fun fact: 2012/13 was one of the coldest winters). I looked for jobs in magazines, on shady websites, in Facebook groups. I was open to almost anything. Luckily, I got a job working at an Irish pub. My German was elementary but I convinced my future boss that I was a fast learner. After a couple weeks of practice, we ran the show on a 4-day St Paddy’s weekend.
Next to that, I was learning German. Language course in the morning, library in the afternoon, social events in the evening: game night in German, language exchange, movie night in German; Frisbee on Sundays -- in German. My language skills improved tangible week by week. And I gained a wonderful community of friends who are my Berlin family today.
2014 Fast forward one and a half years.
On a warm June Thursday afternoon, I was catching up with two regular customers in the Irish Pub. I told them I was looking for an internship, they pitched the open position in their company and one week, I was sitting in their office at an interview.
I spent four years with them. Intern, student "Werkstudent" and finally a full-time employee.
Next to that, I finished my bachelor's degree in International Business and my master's degree in Controlling.
As I received my master’s diploma, they offered me a job. "Finally" I thought, "the dream I had worked for for years came true". It was everything my 24-year-old self had wished for: work with German engineers, unlimited contract, good benefits and height-adjustable tables.
Medica Trade Show, BEO BERLIN reception
2017 Two weeks into the job, I realised it was not my dream any more.
In fact, I realised it was more my parents' dream than mine. 9-to-5 was not my path. Same office, same tasks was not my path.
But I did not know what my path was. University always gave me a framework and a plan to follow. All of a sudden, I was not a student any more and I did not know what I wanted to do next.
For lack of a better plan, I turned to my bucket list. Full of ideas that my 24-year-old self would have never dreamt of doing.
I saved up some money and went travelling.
Deep conversations over tea in New Zealand
2018 I was on the road for 8 months.
It was the first time I talked to people outside academia and business. Or better said, the first time I had real conversations and listened. And the first time I took time to listen to myself, too. I came to understand that there are many definitions of a content life, and all those definitions are legitimate.
I visited five countries: for culture shock, for freedom, for family, for friends and for love. The last leg was walking on the Way of St James, better known the Camino, for almost eight weeks. Five years later, I could channel my experience into a reflection book, Wander & Ponder, that can accompany you on your pilgrim walk, too.
2018 I returned to Berlin, more aware of my needs, my wishes, more confident in my abilities and more at peace than ever before.
Yet, first I needed a job to pay the bills. I started working as a controller. In the end, that's what I studied for. I chose to work for companies where I agreed with their mission and purpose, such as coaching and sustainability. I chose to work in small companies with 10-40 employees, so I could benefit from the familiar environment and assumed responsibility in my role.
Parallel to that I started my initiative, Careers in the Common Good. Learning from the conversations on the road, I discovered that there are many who live someone else's dream instead of their own. Many who wake up in their 20s and 30s asking "is this what I studied for?" That's how we started.
Over the years, I saw various manifestations of the American dream in Germany, some of them turning out a lot more challenging than expected. Working with youth, I understood the increasing pressure young people face about their career choice, already during high school. Through numerous interviews and discussions, I understood there is no one-size-fit all recipe, everyone needs to craft their own path. However, there are various tools that can help finding and designing your path.
Over the years, I dedicated more and more time and attention to my role in my initiative and to exploring the questions of a fulfilling and balanced life.
I read about conscious career choice, self-awareness and professional development.
I started to live and learn about more mindful life and closeness to nature.
I discovered the joy and potential in delivering workshops, and organised more events.
In the end, there was only one logical way to proceed:
Ready for another pilgrim walk
Workshop during Erasmus+ Youth Week 2022
2023 After more than four years of this “double-life”, take the leap and transition into solopreneurship.
In July 2023 I registered my business. My goal is to support people like you in their career transitions.
As I read in the book "The 100 Year Life", the younger generations are more and more likely to have multiple career transitions throughout their lives. From one career to another, from training to working, from working to recharging, from a break to training again and so on. Opportunities are plenty and transitions are necessary. By making more conscious professional and personal decisions, people can get closer to work that makes them happy.
I believe in a world where people enjoy what they do, work in decent conditions, receive fair payment and live a healthy life.
Through my counselling, courses and workshops, I would like to contribute to that reality.
Somewhere on the way to Santiago
Alumni Speech at the UCM 20th Knowledge Festival
Here I am, your career counsellor and trainer.
Besides my personal experience of a foreigner building a life in Germany and crafting my own career, I also bring thorough knowledge of the German job market. As a controller, I worked in close cooperation with managing directors and HR, and learnt about the flip side of the job market.
Therefore, I mix a variety of methods and tools. Such as reflection exercises, questions, and I also give concrete advice and recommendation.
My Qualifications & Experience
My Methodology Toolkit
Experience-based Learning & Non-formal Education
Theory of Change & The Art of Asking
Brainstorming by IDEO U & Design Thinking
Problem-Based Learning
Project Management Tools & (Social) Business Canvas
Coyote Mentoring & Reflection Practices
Nature Journaling & Mindful Walk
Non-Violent Communication
The Golden Circle
Pinch of Eastern European self-irony & German precision.
Professional Qualifications
2023-2024 Outdoor Educator | Wildnisschule Weg der Wildnis
2023 Train The Trainer | Trainers Toolbox By Mirna Šmidt
2022 Conscious*U Money Training | ConsciousU
2021 Building Conscious and Effective Teams - Blended-Learning Training | Horizontal School
2019 TeachSurfing Referenten Program | TeachSurfing
2015-2017 Master of Controlling | HWR - Berlin School of Economics and Law
2013-2015 Bachelor of International Business | HTW - University of Applied Sciences Berlin
2008-2011 Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Sciences | University College Maastricht
Career Counselling Experience
Mentoring alumni of CCG trainings, on their career crossroads and passion projects (2020-2023)
Syllabus and workshops "Career Path Seminars" and "Erasmus+ Youth Week" (2021-2023)
Review & feedback 50+ CVs for the German and Hungarian job market
Coach Café at Maastricht University 2022
Mentoring Imagine students (2023-ongoing)
Trainer Experience
Careers in the Common Good: 30+ hours panel discussion facilitation, 50+ hours online workshops, 50+ hours offline workshops, in Erasmus+ and Visegrad Fund projects, among others.
Speaker: 20th Anniversary Festival of University College Maastricht, Alternative Traveller Festival in Budapest
Workshops on diverse topics in cooperation with TeachSurfing gUG, b23.space, MitOst e.V., MentorMe gGmbHe and Bard College Berlin