Adyen Inclusion & Diversity

Describe your experience as a woman in engineering. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced and how have you overcome them?
I’ve had a diverse range of experiences and have had the opportunity to explore different sub-industries such as fintech, social media and big data, and I’ve also worked in different regions.

During my tenure in tech, I’ve had great and not-so-great managers. No matter where you are or what you do, your manager is the most significant stakeholder in your career progression and can make or break your experience with an employer. Great managers will be transparent, not just honest, about your performance; i.e., preemptive feedback. But they also understand that life happens, and you can’t give your 100 percent every day. They understand the unique intersection and challenges faced by women in software engineering such as the balance between imposter syndrome and actually helping us uncover areas of improvement.

I’ve also had not-so-great managers who had the ability to impact morale. It’s important to spot those situations early on, so you can be strategic about changing your circumstances, such as a team or company. Staying or leaving is a matter of introspection; ultimately, you have to choose the option that gives you peace of mind.

What are your professional goals and how has your current company enabled you to pursue them? What career growth resources/opportunities are available?
My professional goals have organically evolved as I’ve gained more experience and self-confidence in this industry. I’ve gone from fulfilling small tasks given to me to leading people and large technical projects independently.

At Adyen, I always feel highly encouraged to speak up, ask questions and share a solution. It has now become second nature to me, and I extend the same environment of encouragement for the rest of my team, too. Our roles are also pleasantly fluid — I am not restricted to the role of a programmer who only sits in front of a screen. I interact with product managers, account managers, tech support and pricing analysts to a point where I get to be in their shoes and understand their perspectives or issues, too. This is quite unique to Adyen, and I hope to continue growing holistically here.

What advice do you have for women in engineering or other technical roles regarding how to identify a company and team that will support their growth and development?
Always follow your gut. You’re not just gauging a company, you’re also gauging the people you will work with every day. Very simply, if the “vibes are off,” find out why. Prepare questions that formulate your doubts in a palatable fashion, and ask for specific examples to help with clarity of thought. For example, if you want to find out about growth in your role, ask your interviewer about promotions they have achieved while at the company and how they must have prepared for their promotion with their manager. You can also ask how projects are prioritized and allocated in the team or the wider organization. If the prioritization is based on quantifiable metrics, that’s a great sign for your growth because you can use the metrics to measure impact when you deliver on a project.

It takes a village to grow yourself from an intern to a position of leadership as a woman in engineering. You should carefully choose the people who comprise this village, as they should be the people who (positively) challenge you, mentor you, give you credit even in a room where you may not be present and have your back when things get tough.