To celebrate Women in Tech Week 2019 we spoke to six of our cybersecurity professionals about their backgrounds in the industry, their biggest accomplishments and challenges, and what piece of advice they would give to other women interested in starting a career in tech.
Name: Ruth
Position: Development Manager
Team: Central ESG
Q: What is an accomplishment you’re really proud of?
A: After joining Sophos, my first assignment was to work on some of the features of EDR, a project with high visibility where I was managing a new team. It was a bit of a challenge at times but the team managed to deliver the project on time and with high-quality standards.
Q: What advice would you give to other women interested in the tech industry?
A: Work hard and be true to yourself, don’t try to be someone that you are not.
Name: Tapasvi
Position: Sr. Software Engineer
Team: CSG Dragon
Q: Was there an “aha” moment when you knew you were passionate about tech?
A: When I took up a job in technology, I still wasn’t sure if I was passionate about it. The real ‘aha’ moment came in my first job when I was able to help my team solve a problem and deliver the project on time. I felt a proud sense of accomplishment knowing that I helped develop software that would be used by someone to help them with their day to day life. I knew then that this was what I wanted to do.
Q: What advice would you give to other women interested in the tech industry?
A: Nothing is too hard. If I can do it, you can too!
Name: Raluca
Position: Software Engineer
Team: ESG/Core products
Q: What challenges have you faced on your tech journey?
A: I think one of the most challenging aspects of working in tech is how fast the industry is moving… It grows broader every year. It’s important to understand the direction in which your career field is heading by keeping up to date with the latest news and sometimes, that can take a lot of time.
Q: What advice would you give to other women interested in the tech industry?
A: Go for it! There are a lot of outreach programs available that will expose you to different parts of the field to help you better understand the kind of career you would like to pursue. Don’t be afraid to reach out to companies and enquire about short-term work, shadowing, or internships. Any exposure you can get will help you clarify the kind of career which will suit you best.
Name: Elisabeth
Position: Sr. Sales Operations Analyst
Team: Sales Operations
Q: When did you first get into tech and how did it lead you to Sophos?
A: I started in the 3D animation world in Sales/Marketing and then broke off to do some consulting, run my own business, and spend time with my most important accomplishment, my two kids. When reentering the workforce full time, technology is where I wanted to be. I love the energy and innovation of technology. Technology looks at the world, sees solutions, and then goes to implement those solutions by bringing forth new innovations with the ultimate goal of simplifying a process and broadening accessibility to everyone.
Q: What advice would you give to other women interested in the tech industry?
A: Don’t let technology or anyone intimidate you. I am surrounded by incredibly smart, hardworking women who are generous with their knowledge and time. It’s wonderful when women lift each other up and mentor each other, and at Sophos, this is incredibly apparent.
Name: Rawan
Position: Marketing Ops Manager
Team: Marketing Operations Team
Q: What is your favorite part about being in the tech industry?
A: The tech industry is ever-changing and evolving and drives innovation and progress, making my job always challenging and fun.
Q: What advice would you give to other women interested in the tech industry?
A: Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion and set the bar high. Have confidence and keep pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, and great things will happen.
Name: Tina
Position: Software Engineer
Team: PCG
Q: What challenges have you faced on your tech journey?
A: There are always a lot of new things to learn, and prioritizing how deep you can go into something versus how many things you can actually learn and take away is sometimes a challenge.
Q: What advice would you give to other women interested in the tech industry?
A: If you enjoy solving problems, be it by pattern matching or thinking outside of the box and being creative, there are so many different things you can do in software engineering alone, not to mention data analysis, QA, etc. If you think you might enjoy it, you shouldn’t think of it as any different from any other white-collar job.
