Tell us about your career journey?

Thinking in hindsight, my career journey has been quite a winding road. I studied engineering and during my studies, I had very typical engineering summer jobs. In 2011 however, I ended up a bit by accident working with business controlling tasks for an engineering company. It was ok but didn’t feel like something I wanted to focus on, so I decided to apply to a management consulting company, without really knowing what it would be. There I got my first touch on commercial topics, and for the past +10 years I’ve been working with ecommerce, commercial partnerships and different product/service launches, leading teams and businesses of different sizes.

What were some defining moments that shaped your career?

I think they have been the moments where I’ve been most scared. When I applied for consulting, I did not know much about financial controlling, to be honest. Or when I started at Finnair as an ecommerce manager, I was definitely not the best expert in website management. But I’ve always had this motto that at the end of the day, very few things are rocket science. And if it doesn’t work out, that’s also fine. Career paths are made to be molded by choice and sheer coincidence.

What inspired you to pursue this career path?

I’ve always been a person that is interested in everything – I mean everything. I enjoy reading an article about the political climate in Argentina, a new groundbreaking molecule used for cancer treatment or sourdough baking all at once. My friends and family even make jokes about it. This has confirmed my belief that there might be many possible career paths for me, and most probably I will enjoy any of them.

What is your proudest moment in your career?

I think I will revert to my previous answer of not being afraid of taking risks. I’ve been several times in situations where I simply don’t know the answers, I feel unsure or even anxious. When I’ve been able to keep myself together, learn and try and eventually succeed, that’s when I’ve felt proudest.

What advice do you have for female students?

Have the courage to try things that feel difficult, even insurmountable at first. Have the courage to feel like the most stupid person in the room. Trust me, you will learn.

How are women represented in your field?

It’s been varying from workplace to another and management team to another but in general I would say ok. I’ve worked a lot with different teams ranging from sales, marketing, engineering to operations and unfortunately the gender splits between teams are often quite clear, even though the average of the company would say something else.

What are some challenges you’ve had to face in your career?

Restructuring and letting people go is always hard. Even though you know it’s for the best of the company, it feels bad when people have done a good job and you know they could not have done anything differently.

What skills do you think are most important to succeed in this career?

Courage, ability to dig deep and figure out patterns and at the end of the day, it’s people’s business, so being a colleague people want to talk to. We all have our bad days but try to be the best version of yourself and bring energy to others, don’t drain it.

Career Aspirations showcases the goals, inspirations, and experiences of women through written format.