Nastya graduated in 2017 with minors in Russian, Philosophy, and Marketing. She has experience working in NYC, Cyprus, Singapore, and London.
Nastya currently works in London as a Senior Customer Success Manager at Spotify.
Nastya’s Current Role
I work in Spotify advertising, where we plan and launch Spotify ad campaigns for Brands on Spotify’s ad-supported tier. As the customer success manager (account manager), I am the person answering to briefs, planning campaigns, launching them, and servicing clients in general to make sure they are happy with the campaigns.
Nastya on the Culture at Spotify
Spotify, though a large corporation, maintains a startup energy. I am surrounded by driven and inspiring individuals. It’s fascinating to be part of such growth and to contribute to the company’s progression. Being involved in this growth and innovation while being part of a humble and fun culture is enriching.
Nastya’s International Experience
I am an international student originally from Russia, but I grew up in Cyprus. After graduating from Baruch, I worked in NYC for a while before moving back to Cyprus. Subsequently, I worked for a media agency in Singapore for about a year. Then, I moved to London and worked at a marketing agency in my first year before joining Spotify. Some differences I noticed in terms of working culture were that NYC is super fast-paced compared to Cyprus. Singapore, on the other hand, had a culture of demonstrating hard work through late working hours, for example. The people were also more reserved. I feel that London has a really good balance in terms of work-life culture, combining the hustle culture with European laid-backness.
Nastya on International Skills
Be open-minded and curious about other people’s cultures and backgrounds — that’s what will help you build connections with them. The IB major teaches you cross-cultural communication skills, and these classes are great for encouraging you to think outside the box. You can apply these skills daily at Baruch, where we are surrounded by people from all over the world.
Nastya on Trends
Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular at Spotify. We are also putting out video-based content with a goal to get more eyes on the screen. Another more general trend is the shift towards AI and automation, especially to minimize unnecessary tasks and automate processes to make things more streamlined.
Nastya’s Advice for Students
Stay Informed – Keep up to date by following news and publications.
Take Advantage of NYC Events – NYC offers numerous events like startup pop-ups, free lectures, and more. Attending these events allows you to meet diverse people and learn a lot at no cost. Utilize resources like Eventbrite to discover these opportunities.
Look for Mentorship Programs – Programs like these are available in NYC and at Baruch (such as EOC). Leverage these opportunities to connect with professionals and gain insights from them, which is particularly valuable if you are uncertain about your post-graduation career path.