How a girl from Baku builds an international career in London

In this interview, a Senior Manager and AI Engineer at Boston Consulting Group discussed her journey into international companies, her experience working in the banking sector and Big Four, her move to the UK, and shared insights on how to join BCG, build a career in AI, and thrive in a global tech environment. Read more in our article.

Chinara Aliyeva, City — London, Senior Manager, LinkedIn

About Me

I come from the field of computer science—I received my education in computer science in 2010 in Baku. Later, I continued my studies in London and earned a master’s degree from University College London in computer science, with a focus on machine learning, data science, and quantitative finance.

After graduating, I returned home and began working in the banking sector at one of the major banks in Baku, where I worked for about five years. Then, I received an offer from London from one of the Big Four firms—PwC. In 2021, I moved to London and have been working there ever since, for nearly five years now.

My main specialization is data science, artificial intelligence, and specifically generative AI.

How to Join Boston Consulting Group

I obtained this role through LinkedIn. I actively use this platform: I publish posts about my work and research because my field is related to engineering and artificial intelligence. In addition to my main job, I also engage in additional research projects.

When I worked in the London office of PwC, I regularly shared my publications, and as I assume, this attracted the attention of a recruiter from Boston Consulting Group. They reached out to me directly via LinkedIn, after which I agreed to a conversation and went through the interview process.

I had about six interview stages in total. In the technical field, the process usually begins with an initial conversation with a recruiter: the position, expectations, and mutual fit are discussed. This is an important stage because an interview is not only the company evaluating the candidate but also an opportunity for the candidate to understand whether the team and work environment suit them.

Next, I had a coding interview. In a live coding format, I shared my screen and solved a problem in real time. I was asked to develop a small chatbot, and I implemented it directly during the interview within one hour.

After that, there were interviews with the team. These were more comprehensive meetings—both technical and focused on stakeholder interaction. They evaluated not only my technical skills but also how I work with people, understand business tasks, and collaborate within a team.

The entire process took about two months, after which I received an offer and joined the company.

Advice for Those Who Want to Work in an International Company

The most important thing is to always be active and, moreover, proactive. Sometimes people simply wait for opportunities to find them, but in reality, it should be the other way around: a person must create these opportunities themselves.

It is important to constantly develop and improve your skills, using time for learning and professional growth. It is also important to be active on LinkedIn—now, in my opinion, there is no need to constantly apply manually and upload CVs through job postings. Through LinkedIn, you can interact directly with recruiters and teams.

If you are targeting a specific company, do not limit yourself to one country. Many companies already operate globally and have offices in different regions. For example, when I worked at a bank in Baku, our project was supported by BCG consulting, including the Moscow office, and I interacted with an international team. This helped me later get a job in London, as I already had experience working in an international environment.

Such connections and experience are truly helpful—it is essentially about networking. It is important to build professional connections, communicate with people, and write to those who work in companies or countries that interest you.

Even if you write to 100 recruiters or specialists, most likely, at least some of them will respond. And that is already enough to make something happen. In my case, it was the same: I received an offer from PwC through networking—someone simply reached out to me because I was in their contact database and offered me a vacancy.

It is important to remain open to such opportunities. Even if a specific role does not fully match your expectations, it is still worth talking—sometimes these conversations lead to other offers.

For example, if a software engineer position is open, the company may have other roles—data scientist, product manager, and so on. Therefore, it is important to ask questions and not limit yourself to one position.

Work Features

I work in a technical role as a Senior Manager and am involved in development as well as mentoring in the fields of data science, artificial intelligence, and programming. Currently, I am developing agentic chatbots for the banking, insurance, and IT sectors based on large language models such as OpenAI and Anthropic Claude.

Another important part of my work is ensuring the quality and reliability of systems through evaluation frameworks, guardrails, and control mechanisms to minimize model errors and enhance security.

From a technology perspective, I use Python and TypeScript, as well as cloud platforms AWS and Microsoft Azure. Previously, I worked in the Microsoft ecosystem with Azure and Databricks, primarily using Python, and in my current company, I expanded my tech stack with AWS and TypeScript. However, I believe that the key role is played not by the specific technology stack, but by the ability to quickly adapt, solve business problems, and explain technical solutions to stakeholders in the field of AI and data science.

The main challenges are associated with working in a global team with colleagues from India, the US, and London, time zone differences, and the need to constantly combine research in the rapidly evolving field of AI with project tasks.

In addition to technical skills, soft skills, people management, and stakeholder interaction are important. Also, the ability to accept feedback and develop presentation skills is of great importance, which has become an important part of my professional growth.

The company has a structured professional development system: regular quarterly meetings with the line manager, goal setting, progress assessment, and an annual performance review that affects bonuses and career advancement. As one grows in their career, the requirements increase: for example, moving from senior manager to director requires not only technical expertise but also developed leadership and management competencies.

Working in an international environment provides significant advantages, including access to the experience of specialists from different countries, constant knowledge exchange, and accelerated professional development. At the same time, it requires adaptation to working in a non-native language and to cultural differences.

I would also like to highlight participation in the Women in Data and Women in Tech initiatives, where I serve as co-lead. This direction is aimed at supporting and engaging women in STEM fields, including data science, cybersecurity, visualization, and other technological areas.

About Life Abroad

I moved to the UK twice. The first time was in 2015 to pursue a master’s degree at UCL. The second time was for work: at that time, I first stayed in Baku, working at Pasha Bank, and later received an offer from the London office of PwC and decided to relocate.

The decision to move depends on the individual situation: someone can try to move independently, but London is an expensive city, and this requires financial preparation. Another important factor is obtaining a work visa, such as the skilled worker visa, although there are other options, including the Global Talent or startup visa, depending on the candidate’s profile.

In my case, the offer was received before the visa was processed. I even resigned from my previous job because I did not want to take risks. Regarding company support, PwC and BCG helped me with relocation and provided visa sponsorship. In the UK, this requires a Certificate of Sponsorship. Under current conditions, only a limited number of companies provide such sponsorships, and requirements depend on the market and demand.

In my case, it was the field of data science and data engineering. The company accompanied the visa application process, including interaction with third parties. The process took about two months and included checks, document collection, and document translation if necessary. After that, the company submitted an application to the UK visa system, and after receiving the code, one could apply for the visa.

According to the rules of the skilled worker visa, about five years of company support is usually required. Also, the visa itself involves significant expenses: visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). In connection with this, companies often cover these expenses and sometimes cover visas for family members. Additionally, companies may provide support with relocation, including a sign-on bonus or temporary housing for the first month.

Relocation can be planned differently: either move first and then look for a job on the spot, or first receive an offer and then move. If you have a financial cushion, you can try to leave in advance and understand on the spot whether the country and living conditions suit you. But it is important to remember that it will take time to adapt and build a new environment.

In my case, the choice of the UK was deliberate: I had already studied there and was familiar with the system, the city, and the work environment. During my studies, I completed internships and worked, so I understood the processes and expectations, which helped during the move.

Nevertheless, working in large companies such as Big4 or MBB can be quite challenging. Preparation through training or courses helps to better understand reality, whereas moving without preparation is more risky.

Under current conditions, it is important to carefully study the company and the market, as layoffs are possible in the tech sector. At the same time, it is important not to be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and focus on your own progress.