Interview mit Laura Vaida, IT-Consultant and Data Engineer

WIT: Hello, Laura, please introduce yourself briefly (studies, work, hobbies, background, goals, fun facts …).
Laura: I’m Laura, I live in Munich and work in IT-Consulting as Data Engineer. I have a background in statistics and marketing, but gained some profound technical knowledge I enjoy being outside and especially the seaside, I started sailing 2 years ago and completed an Atlantic crossing one year ago 🙂

WIT: What do you do for a living?
Laura: I work as data engineer for a small consultancy. I have to do with databases, cloud engineering, analytical questions, sometimes also visualizations and of course customers 😀

WIT: What exactly does your job title stand for?
Laura: Well, I already explained a bit, but I mainly build data stack and ETL pipelines

WIT: How did you find your way into a technical profession?
Laura: I got interested in statistics while in university and decided to do my masters in that. Then I started a job as BI Analyst and step by step I worked my way from a marketing background to a more technical background.

WIT: Who or what inspired you the most to choose a technical profession?
Laura: Mainly just the subject statistics and my passion for data. But I have some tradition for mathematics in my family, that plays a role I guess as well.

WIT: Have you always been interested in technology?
Laura: No, not at all! I hated maths and informatics at school. Mainly because in this subjects you normally have the worst teachers I guess.

WIT: Did your parents and/or teachers encourage your love and interest for computers or tech?
Laura: Mmmh my mum still doesn’t really get what I’m doing and my dad also works in IT (mainly SAP). I think he likes that I also decided to work in IT.

WIT: What do you like most about your job?
Laura: You need to solve challenges, you can be creative at the same time and if things work out it gives you a strong feeling of satisfaction.

WIT: What is the best thing about your daily work for you?
Laura: I like to solve problems for customers and make them happy 🙂

WIT: What do you do in your spare time?
Laura: I enjoy being around with friends. Mostly we do trips for skiing, hiking or sailing. But I also like to watch a good movie or read a book.

WIT: What message would you like to convey to women or girls who are interested in technology?
Laura: Just start. Any experience is better than no experience 🙂 You can’t learn programming from a book, you have to do it.

WIT: Which advice do you still follow today?
Laura: You can learn anything if you really want to.

WIT: What challenges do you encounter as a woman in your job?
Laura: Mmh not so many actually. In my company we are a lot of women. I guess in general men present their results with more self-esteem, so people would think their work is better, while this is actually not true.

WIT: Do you have any tips regarding interviews for technical positions?
Laura: Yes, think of what the recruiter could ask you before and answer this questions already for yourself. Speak about your motivation. Show your enthusiasm about it.

WIT: Unfortunately, women in technical professions are still underrepresented. What are your thoughts on this topic?
Laura: I think it’s more the set-up and atmosphere that holds women back from that field. This can be changed!

WIT: What do you have in common with other women in technology?
Laura: I like to be direct and speak to the point.

WIT: Please describe a challenging situation that you encountered in your career.
Laura: Mhh I think in general, the challenge to find the tools and topics you really want to focus on is not so easy. I guess IT is broad field and to specialize on something might already be a challenge. I worked myself throught that the last months.

WIT: What professional and personal skills would you like to develop even further?
Laura: Project management and databases.

WIT: Who are your personal or professional role models?
Laura: I think in general people that are good with technical topics, but also people are my role models.

WIT: Vielen Dank für das Interview, Laura!