From Supply Chain to InfoSec
“I started working at Workhuman over four and a half years ago on our merchandise and supply chain teams. And while I learned so much during my time there, as time progressed, I knew I wanted to move into a more technical role. Here’s how it happened.
During my time working in supply chain, I realised I was always eager to find the quickest and most efficient way to accomplish our daily processes. I started googling how to automate certain tasks – which led me to teaching myself PowerShell scripting (a cheeky copy and paste from Stack Overflow never hurt anyone!) and running projects to get these new automated processes in place.
In supply chain, we dealt with a lot of sensitive customer data, so I had to ensure that the new processes met our security standards and ensured our customers' safety - so, I had a bit of experience working in conjunction with the Information Security team (InfoSec) as they had to review my projects before implementation. This prior connection really helped build a rapport with the team, which benefited me during the interview process.
I had also been networking and reaching out to people across different teams to understand what their roles entail, what their day-to-day looks like, and if I thought a similar role would suit me. This is one of the best things about Workhuman, the endless opportunities to network and collaborate across various functions within the business.
These can be through our various ERG’s and interest groups, or our company wide hackathons and events. These opportunities help you to define what it is you want out of your career and set clear goals that will help you to achieve it. One of those goals for me was getting a master's degree, which was a lot to take on whilst working full time. But Workhuman made it possible by supporting me through funding, adapting my work hours to ensure I was able to attend classes, and collaborating on my thesis research.
When the IT Security Analyst role was first opened, I noticed how many transferrable skills I had gained from my previous roles that suited the spec. After speaking with a few members of the InfoSec team, I realised that it was a department that checked all of the boxes for what I wanted out of a career (challenging, defined career path, and ongoing opportunity to grow). On top of that, the chance to learn from some of the best in the industry was an opportunity that was too good to pass on!
I’m naturally quite a logical person and can visualise big picture ideas whilst also being able to break them down to the sum of their parts. I find this really helps in a role that can be so varied and exact at the same time. I love problem solving and have a passion for continuous learning, which are key aspects of my role and working in security.
It was not all plain sailing though, one of the challenges I faced was trying to figure out what I wanted out of my career. I first came to Workhuman because I needed a job. I was only 22 and had no idea what I wanted to do. Working on the Supply Chain team helped me realise what I was good at, and what I liked doing. From there, it was all about researching where I could go with the skills I had gained and learned. Talking with various people across the business, from product to QA to e-commerce to global business systems to learning & development to customer success really helped put all those roles into perspective. From there I was able to make an informed decision about what I wanted to do. Now I don’t just have a job, I have a career for life in one of the most exciting and ever-growing specialties of technology!
You can do it, too!
My advice to those considering a career in this area would be to do the research and don’t be afraid to ask questions! Try and find people within security, or any industry that you are interested in, and ask them about their own career journeys, do they enjoy what they do, what aspects of it do they love and why. This can help you focus on where you want to be in two, five or even ten years’ time.
Once you know where you want to go with your career, be strategic about getting there. Find out what skills you can gain in your current role that are transferable to your interests and develop them. Whether its communication, problem solving, or scripting, you can go where you want to if you're eager to learn and determined to take charge of your own career path.
So many people helped me along this journey that it’s hard to narrow it down to one person. Workhuman is a company where everyone wants to see you grow and succeed. There have been so many people that have encouraged me and helped guide me along the way. Sarah O Neill, Shane Heelan, Thais Cavalcante, Agi Labocha, Orlagh Lynch, Liam Farrell, Dermot Byrne – the list could go on and on! THANK YOU!"
Without our humans, it’s just work.
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