You have been with Chr. Hansen for almost a year now. Do you consider yourself a Hansenite yet?
I’ve felt like a Hansenite right from the beginning. Working in Colombia as a Venezuelan, I had some difficulties with my work permit when I was first offered the job in Chr. Hansen. I thought I had lost my opportunity to work here, but Chr. Hansen stepped in and supported me in the process of regaining the work permit. This made me feel welcome in the Hansenite family – even before I started working in the company.
Being a Hansenite has a lot to do with relying on each other. In my role at the IT Service Desk, it’s crucial for my colleagues across Chr. Hansen that they can rely on me to assist them with their issues. Often, when the issues are bigger and more complex, multiple departments and colleagues must be involved, ending up with a long chain of colleagues relying on and trusting each other, and I think that is what being a Hansenite is all about.
I’m a big fan of our unique culture and I always brag about it to my friends and family.
What do you think characterizes the Chr. Hansen culture?
it’s about trust and relying on each other. My colleagues and managers around me believe in me, which makes me go the extra mile. Despite working in a global team, our “one team” mentality always shines through. My colleagues are always ready to help, and I can always reach out with any questions I might have.
Honesty is also a key part of our culture, which makes me comfortable sharing my thoughts and ideas – my opinions are valued, and my concerns are heard. As you can tell, I’m a big fan of our unique culture and I always brag about it to my friends and family.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in IT after graduating as an electronic engineer?
As a kid, I always said I wanted to be an engineer when I grew up. So, you can say that I’ve always known that I wanted to work with tech. During my courses, I discovered my passion for IT, and I quickly knew that I wanted to go out and make a difference and come up with creative solutions to people’s everyday tasks and issues. By the time I was done studying, I couldn’t wait to be a part of a big IT department.
I am lucky to have managers and colleagues that encourage me to keep asking hard questions and speak my mind.
Can you mention a project that you are particularly proud of?
The continuous improvement of our processes behind the IT tickets. This is something we use a lot of time and energy on, working closely together across multiple teams in Global IT. Here, I get a chance to ensure the users’ points of view are included in the solutions the developers create. I believe that getting these processes automated is going to make a huge difference.
From a woman’s perspective, how is it to work within tech and IT?
Working in a masculine field, you must be prepared to push some boundaries. Some will find you intimidating since they are not used to a woman taking up as much space as a man. I am lucky to have managers and colleagues that encourage me to keep asking hard questions and speaking my mind – this makes being a woman in a man’s world a lot easier.
What advice would you give other women wanting to pursue a career in IT?
“I would recommend getting a mentor. This has been something I have benefitted greatly from in my professional development. Having this special connection with someone has inspired me to go beyond what I thought possible. And lastly, don’t hold back. If IT is a career path you want to explore, just go for it. Be curious and ask questions. This will give you a broad foundation of information to form your own point of view.
