By: Emer O’Neill, Director of Security Response Center, VMWare

 

My decision to pursue a career in technology was, in some ways, an unexpected one. I was a very active child who had a tough time concentrating in school. But when my brother got a computer in the early 1990s, I was fascinated by it, prompting my parents to suggest that I pursue a career in computer science (CS). So I did.

 

Although I enjoyed the development side of CS, my high energy and extroverted personality didn’t quite match the job description. I wanted more human interaction than a typical introverted programmer might be comfortable with. So I set my sights on management.

 

I started out in a support role. I spent some years visiting customer sites, ensuring that their networks and desktops were ready for IT. I enjoyed it, but I still had aspirations to climb further up the corporate ladder. Like many women, I encountered roadblocks, especially when I started a family.

 

I got a little closer to my goal in 2007 when I accepted a job in technical support.  I exceeded in my new role, and within one year there was an opening for a technical support manager role.  Without hesitation, I applied for it.  I did my research, spoke to others in a similar role, and went through the interview process, but unfortunately was unsuccessful.  Why? I was not strategic enough.  I was disappointed but determined.  

 

A surprise came about some months later, I was approached about an opportunity in escalation management, an area I was curious to explore so I applied, interviewed received an offer, and accepted.  It was a good fit for me, since I was calm and cool under pressure and was good at finding and pulling in the right people to fix problems. I started to see that there was another side to IT and support that people don’t really talk about — relationship building.  

 

Seven years ago, I got the break I’d been hoping for — an opportunity to lead a support team. Thanks to my stubbornness and tenacity, my management career was off to a running start! 

 

That was only the beginning. From there, I went on to lead a security response team, and I love it. Working with teams across the organization when researchers report security vulnerabilities in our products gives me the opportunity to solve tough problems, while exercising my interpersonal skills. My job touches every part of the business.   

 

The lesson here is that if you’re interested in moving into technical management, know that while you’ll need to have the “technical chops,” you’ll still need to be a relationship builder. Everyone works differently. In a global company, you’ll encounter people from different cultures, introverts, extroverts, and so on. It may be surprising, but those “soft skills” may ultimately become a predictor of your success, as it was for me.  

 

If you’ve been thinking about moving into a technical management job, my first piece of advice is to get a mentor. Seek out people who are doing (or who have done) what you’d like to do. Establish connections. It’s been 20 years since I started my journey down this path. I’m glad I found the role that played to my strengths. Most of all, I’m glad I never gave up.