NEWS: Logpoint Acquires Muninn
So, I actually got started in Tech randomly because a friend who knew Andreas, our CEO, reached out to me about a people and culture (PNC) manager position. They were looking for someone with broad PNC experience, and after a couple of conversations, I got the job. Networking can be really helpful. Even though I didn't come from a technical background, my previous experience in people and culture was enough. They also saw potential in me to learn about the technical aspects of the business. I had some experience in tech recruitment, so there were some touchpoints already.. I've also had to upskill my knowledge in the technical industry and get to know what drives and motivates employees in cybersecurity. Working for and with big brands is not the only thing that matters to people. They are passionate about cutting-edge technologies and purposeful work. That mindset is very much alive here, and it's really nice to see.
Yeah, when I was recruiting engineers ten years ago, it was mostly male candidates, and I could feel the difference as a younger woman. Even though I was head hunting, I noticed a lack of respect for my knowledge when talking to senior male colleagues. While there has been a shift towards diversity in tech, there's still a long way to go. Even now, the majority of applicants are male. We need to show that tech isn't just about working with software, engineering, and development. There are so many different aspects to it, and we very much need a diverse perspective to solve today's technological challenges. At Muninn, we've made progress in building a diverse workforce, but we can always do more. To help women in tech, we need to break biases about what working in cybersecurity involves. It's not just about technical knowledge. There are many different roles that require other skills such as communication and management. By presenting these different aspects of tech to candidates, we can attract a broader pool of applicants.
Something I'm proud of is that we've been able to recruit a diverse engineering department. During hiring interviews, experienced engineers mention that it's rare to find such a mixed group of people in terms of ethnicity, gender, and backgrounds. This is something unique about Muninn, and I'm glad to have played a part in creating that in the last few months. Looking ahead, we will continue to broaden the perception of what working in tech and cybersecurity entails to attract more diverse candidates.
Based on my own experience, I believe it's important to recognize that it's always easier for companies to hire someone who has ten years of experience and can just jump into the job. However, I encourage women to look for their own potential and go for it. You can always learn and upskill in areas where you may be lacking. It's important to have confidence in your abilities and present them to companies. Especially now, I strongly recommend considering a career in the tech industry as there has never been a better time. The industry is constantly evolving, providing excellent job opportunities and a chance to make a real impact. Having diverse perspectives is crucial for this industry to better target tech challenges we face and combat cybercrime. Hackers come from various backgrounds, so we need to have diverse ways of thinking in order to develop effective solutions as well.
I've been fortunate to have some great female leaders in my life. My mom and grandmother were both entrepreneurs, and they taught me the importance of being bold and confident. It may sound simple, but it's not always easy to do. As I mentioned earlier, if there's something you don't know, you can always learn it. So it's about believing in yourself and your abilities. Believing in yourself is a superpower that anyone can benefit from. If you approach things with confidence and a strong attitude, you can achieve a lot.
It all started when I was doing my bachelor's degree in mathematics and had to take a programming course. That was my first experience with programming, and as I continued my studies, I realized that I enjoyed it. During my studies, I took some elective courses in programming and then COVID hit. I was graduating in 2020, and there were no jobs available in Iceland. I had originally planned on working for a year and then pursuing a master's degree, but instead, I decided to go back to school and get a bachelor's degree in computer science since I could complete it in one year due to my math degree. After that, I went to Denmark for my master's in mathematical modeling and computation and found a student job in tech, which has turned out to be a great fit for me.
I think my interest in programming probably stems from my love of math. In programming, especially in backend development, you need to think logically and clearly. It can feel like solving a fun puzzle sometimes. While pure math, which is what I studied, can be really theory and proof heavy, programming allows you to see immediate results and feel like you've accomplished something. It's like puzzle-solving for work, and you get to try out what you've created and see that it's working.
I think it's been okay for me being a woman in a male-dominated industry. I started getting used to it when I studied math and was one of only three girls in the whole department. Later, I was in the Formula Student team at my university where there were just a few girls and in a team of about 40 people. So, I guess it's not new for me to work in a field where men outnumber women. However, I must say that at Muninn, it's been very welcoming and I feel comfortable here. It feels great to be welcomed in such an industry and not feel like an impostor which is something many women probably relate to.
One of the biggest projects I have worked on was probably back in university, when I lead a 40-person Formula Student team with the goal of building a car. Although it's not directly related to what I do today, I learned a lot from it, things I can apply in my work life. Managing a group of 40 full time university students was a challenging task, but breaking down the goals into smaller achievable tasks helped us celebrate every small victory. It's essential to focus on small goals and celebrate each step towards the bigger goal instead of just looking at the big picture, which can be overwhelming.
Since I am still studying my advice goes out to the women starting their university journey. But sometimes it may seem like the boys in class are way smarter and quicker at understanding the material but that doesn't mean they are any smarter than girls. It's important to remember that everyone has their own pace of learning and it's okay to take your time. You have many years ahead of you to master your skills. Getting good grades is not the only factor in being successful in the tech industry. It's also important to have teamwork skills and the ability to work well in a group setting.
I think the ideal mode of transportation for me would be something like teleportation. I love the idea of being able to instantly transport myself from one place to another, without the need for flying or any other means of travel. It would be amazing to be able to go from one location to another in just a matter of seconds. I hate flying, so teleportation would be the perfect solution for me. I don't know if I would use it for getting to work, but definitely for longer journeys that take more than an hour.
I've always been fascinated by math, even as a kid. I remember doing exercises meant for older grades when I was in fifth grade. I guess you could say my brain is wired for logic and problem-solving, which helps me relax. My family has a lot of people in the tech industry, including my dad, who's also an engineer from DTU, and my grandfather was too. So I had a lot of inspiration growing up. During high school, I got the chance to try being a student for a day at DTU, and I also had another internship at DTU for three days together with other high school students. It all felt very natural for me to pursue a career in tech.
I love what I do because I get to work with some really cool programming languages like Go and Rust, which are both getting more popular. I’m less interested in the creative side of things, like front-end design, but I love to think logically about how the machinery behind should work and then code it.
Actually, some of my closest female friends are from DTU. We help each other a lot, particularly with questions related to salary and other work-related issues. It's nice to have that support system. But my choices and direction haven't really been influenced by my friends.
I'm proud of the fact that I've never thought of any potential negative consequences of being a woman in my field. Instead, I have always focused on following my dreams and pursuing my interests without letting my gender or others hold me back.
At DTU there are events specifically for women to show them what it's like to study there and give them a first impression of the industry. But I think they could do more to encourage women to enter the field. I think most of us are aware that we need more women in tech.
My advice would be to not be afraid and just go for it. I've always followed my interests and passions, even back in high school when I wrote about the German Enigma encryption machine for an assignment. And years later, I wrote my master thesis on encryption as well and continued working in cybersecurity. So, my advice is to listen to what you find interesting and pursue it without fear. Don't hold back, just go for it!
I still own my PlayStation 2 and find myself playing the same games that I did when I was just five years old. It's a great way to unwind and relax, especially in the midst of a busy, technology-filled everyday life. Sometimes it's the old favorites that can offer the most comfort.
When I was around 13 years old, I started making MySpace themes using HTML and CSS. I wasn't satisfied with the available themes, so I started figuring out how to create my own ones. As I practiced more and more, I started to understand the syntax and the system of HTML and CSS, so I could make more unique designs. I also dabbled in other types of art, like photography, digital painting and drawing. I was inspired by video games like Diablo II and World of Warcraft.
However, at that time, there was no relevant education in Hungary, so I ended up with a bachelor's degree in marketing. But I never lost interest in web design and graphics, and after about 10 years, I got back into coding. I'm currently a software developer, with a strong focus on UX and UI, too. I'm still creative, but I am not always the person who comes up with the big ideas - sometimes it's because I know that I will be the one who has to code it :) I usually work with the ideas of others and bring them to life through front-end design.
So, I graduated in 2014 and started working at a web design agency where I focused on marketing at first, but then transitioned to web design around 2016. I spent the next seven years solely dedicated to web design while also assisting with domain names and hosting support. Initially, it was a bit challenging because the agency was small and located in Eastern Europe, where I faced harassment and sexism. For example, one time I was trying to get a bill paid and the customer just wouldn't answer me. When I changed my signature to my boss's signature, the customer answered instantly. Other times, and this one happened quite often, if the communication took place in emails, some customers would call me by my last name. It's funny, because my last name is a male first name in Hungarian, which is very common in Hungary, but very uncommon the other way around. Regardless, they thought that I did such a "good enough" job, that it could only have been a guy named "Greg" with a female last name, so they started their emails with "Hi Greg, ...".
The situation improved when I moved to Denmark, although subtle forms of discrimination still existed, I feel much better where I am right now. However, I still feel the question of "getting kids" lingering and impacting women's career advancement. I have often been asked about this during or after job interviews, but I haven't heard of any of my male friends being asked about their situation and plans to have children. It must be difficult for those women, who genuinely want both a career and kids.
In terms of skills, I find that having empathy and being able to anticipate potential issues is valuable for UX design and front-end development. However, it can be frustrating to always be thinking of what could go wrong, even though it's useful for work.
I actually have a lot of thoughts on this. Just go for tech, if that is what interests you, because it's super diverse. It’s not just coding, and even within coding, there are so many areas to explore that almost everyone can find their niche. Of course, it's important to start with the basics and build a foundation for more complex and future projects.
Another thing that personally helped me, but of course everyone's different, is cutting out the fluff. Since tech is a male-dominated field, it's important to communicate in a straightforward and constructive manner without unnecessary apologies or constrains. Don't say things like "if that makes sense" or "maybe I'm wrong". Just focus on the facts and communicate clearly. This helped me a lot reducing clutter in meetings. If Lars from Finance wouldn't say it, neither should you.
Do you know that part in the Fifth Element movie where Leeloo, one of the main characters, is reading really fast to learn about our world? I wish I could read documentation that fast!
