I’m the equivalent of a cat: I’ve had many career lives in the 42 years I’m on this earth.
I studied Physiotherapy in Groningen, Netherlands in the early 2000s. Feeling restless and not at home in my “home country”, I moved to New Zealand for a year where I travelled for 5 months and worked as a barista the remaining time.
I then moved to Ireland and was introduced to the technology sector. I worked in technical support for years, both in Ireland and in Barcelona. After a brief stint as a (games) translator and a local council elections candidate, I have found my home at Malwarebytes, where I worked as a Technical Support Specialist, a Social Media moderator, an Advocacy Program Manager, and now I’m a writer and host of our “It’s Safe to Ask” biweekly Facebook Live, experiences that resonate with the inspirational journey of leaders featured in the Spotlight Series: Neha Sampat, CEO, Contentstack.
My main objective is to humanize cybersecurity.
Years ago I co-founded the Women in Tech community here at Malwarebytes, where we emphasise inclusivity, diversity, normalize mental health discussions, and offer support.
The above vibrant and adventurous story is indication of what my life is, the life of a woman with ADHD. I’ve always been a big advocate for neurodiversity and what it can bring to the workplace and beyond.
How did you land your current role? Was it planned?
It wasn’t planned at all. I started working in Malwarebytes 7 years ago as a Tech Support Agent. I then moved to marketing a few years later. I’ve been in different roles here, currently mainly creating content, including product blogs, videos, and Facebook Lives.
I’ve been fortunate to work with amazing female leaders that saw the potential in me, which has led me to this role.
What are the key roles in your field of work, and why did you choose your current expertise?
I’m a (creative) writer and a customer advocate. After years of working in support and social media, I understand the difficulties customers run into when dealing with cybersecurity and technology in general, the information they’re searching for and the way it’s presented to them.
Instead of assuming what people want and need to know, we simply asked them and create our content from there.
Did you (or do you) have a role model in tech or business in general?
The role models I’ve had in tech, are like the role models I’ve had in my personal life. Many of them are not famous, but stem from my personal life and encounters.
The most amazing managers I’ve had in my technology careers were women. I find that female managers look at management, issues and interactions in a more holistic way, and that inspires me to be the best.
One of my role models in business would be Kirsty from the underwear brand “Molke”. Kirsty started her business in 2015 after she couldn’t find a comfortable, yet cool nursing bra. I admire her because she saw an issue, and jumped on it to resolve it herself.
She’s part of the “Real Living Wage”, runs inclusive marketing campaigns, and normalizes talking about “women’s issues” like menopause, breastfeeding, and body image.
What are you most proud of in your career, so far?
The fact that I worked my way up without having a university degree in either cybersecurity or marketing, bar a diploma in Digital Marketing.
My ADHD always wreaked havoc with my academic life, and I found that actively learning, mentorships, and short courses worked magic for me. Malwarebytes has always been able to offer these and I’m very grateful to have worked with people that looked passed certifications and looked at potential.
What does an average work day look like for you?
I wake up, probably groggy after a night of listening to my toddler talk and sing in her sleep, and take her to daycare.
Then it really depends, as my days can be different. I either write a blog, dive into video editing, prepare for a webinar, do a bit of community management. All of that with a lot of herbal tea and Wardruna playing in the background.
As I’m working with a US company, my worktime also fluctuates based on meetings, webinars.
Are there any specific skills or traits that you notice companies look for when you’re searching for roles in your field?
Mainly creativity, cybersecurity knowledge, flexibility, adaptability.
Has anyone ever tried to stop you from learning and developing in your professional life, or have you found the tech sector supportive?
It’s challenging sometimes, to work in a male-dominated field. The consumer team I work for has been awesome so far. There’s a lot of support for development internally and externally.
I have experienced setbacks in the past, like every women in the tech industry, where promotions were promised and passed, my hard work was taken and presented as someone else’s, and I’ve been talked over while presenting or stating my opinion.
Have you ever faced insecurities and anxieties during your career, and how did you overcome them?
Constantly, whether that’s the run-of-the-mill imposter syndrome, via full-on panic attacks, to the ever-lingering anxiety disorder. Being honest and open about my difficulties with my manager and my colleagues makes dealing with these insecurities better and ask for the support I need at that moment.
Organizing our Mental Health panels every couple of months also really helped me talk about my difficulties, and at the same time being extremely proud that I’m doing all this, I’ve achieved all this, while always having that anxiety lurking over my shoulder (or screaming in my face, more likely)
Entering the world of work can be daunting. Do you have any words of advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed?
Ask. Ask for help, ask for support, ask for mentoring, ask for a raise. People have been doing this for centuries and are willing to share knowledge, advice and support. And don’t be afraid to show off your achievements and talent.
Also, don’t afraid to be bold and be present.
What advice would you give other women wanting to reach their career goals in technology?
Again, be bold and be present. And know that you can learn everything, the knowledge is very accessible. There’s so much knowledge out there, in YouTube videos, free courses, blogs, etc.
And always be honest. If there’s something you don’t know (yet), that’s okay.
