Some people grow up fascinated by technology, study computer science in college and join a startup right after graduation. Others can’t imagine themselves working in the industry and build a career in a completely different field before finding a passion for tech later in life.
There’s really no set path when it comes to the career journey a techie takes — and the five Colorado women professionals we spoke to for this piece are proof of that. Continue reading to learn more about each of their own unique career journeys, along with what they love most about working in tech.
Switching industries is hard for any professional to do, but it’s even harder when you’re a woman moving into a field dominated by men. Matillion Product Marketing Manager Janet Krajco is all too familiar with this challenge, having made the leap to the tech industry a few years ago. Krajco has since built a career in the industry — and her goal is to ensure more women are able to do the same.
Tell us a bit about your career journey. Why did you decide to pursue a career in tech?
Honestly, my transition into tech was kind of by accident. I was presented with an opportunity that I thought would be challenging and I decided to take a risk. I stayed in tech because I realized I’d have the greatest ability to break down barriers I encountered early on as a woman in a male-dominated field. I’ve been very fortunate to have amazing female mentors who have helped me navigate along the way.
I stayed in tech because I realized I’d have the greatest ability to break down barriers I encountered early on as a woman in a male-dominated field.”
What do you love most about your tech career? Are there any specific aspects of your job that really make you light up?
The impact of the products I get to work with. Working in tech can be challenging. You’re working at an incredibly fast pace against tight deadlines, which can wear you down. But, when you’re able to see the impact your products have and how they have changed someone’s life for the better, it makes it all worth it.
Alexandria Williams didn’t grow up dreaming of working in tech. For a long time, she thought tech was a stale industry where creativity was stifled. Fast forward to today and Williams is a UX designer at Vendavo. Here’s how she got there.
Tell us a bit about your career journey. Why did you decide to pursue a career in tech?
My career path has been anything but linear. I studied international relations in college, and from there I worked overseas doing non-profit work. I eventually found my way back stateside and did a stint working in fashion design. I was looking for a career where I could leverage my background in design and cultural experiences, and that provided more stability, and UX design seemed to lend itself to my skill set. I enrolled in the first UX cohort at General Assembly Denver in 2016 and haven’t looked back.
I work with incredibly fun, bright and innovative folks, which has not only been inspiring but also fundamental to my growth as a designer.”
What do you love most about your tech career? Are there any specific aspects of your job that really make you light up?
Admittedly, I was a little reluctant to get into tech. My father was in the industry, and my initial perception growing up was that it was stale and not a place for a creative like me. The best surprise has been being proven wrong. I work with incredibly fun, bright and innovative folks, which has not only been inspiring but also fundamental to my growth as a designer.
In addition, I have worked primarily on B2B products, which for a UX designer serves up an endless source of complex problems that require daily creative problem-solving. Though terrifying at times, I love the complexity of these challenges and solving them is so rewarding.
Tech workers have no shortage of opportunities in Colorado, so Samantha Lund-Jensen’s 14-year stint at Worldpay is undoubtedly unique. As the Leader of End User Services, Lund-Jensen said that despite her long tenure, she’s still learning and growing.
Tell us a bit about your career journey. Why did you decide to pursue a career in tech?
I’ve grown my career at this company. I started as an account manager 14 years ago. I soon moved to our call center where I spent time working with customers. When opportunities opened up with the internal service desk and deskside support teams, I went for them. It’s exciting to work with people from all around the world, support them and resolve the issue they’re having. Now I’m a Leader for End User Services, and I get to guide our team members in their roles. Technology is constantly evolving, which is thrilling, and I’m intrigued by the possibilities of the future.
I love that I have been able to progress my career within my company.”
What do you love most about your tech career? Are there any specific aspects of your job that really make you light up?
I love that I have been able to progress my career within my company. Over the years I’ve had the chance to work with customers and employees across the world. I’ve worked to understand how each department is involved in the success of our business and how I support them with all of the tools we have access to. I enjoy the ability to combine technology with customer service, finding solutions for difficult challenges and the feeling I get when I’ve helped someone. As a leader, I’m excited to help others with their growth and career goals, too.
Mihaela Ciocanu is not a designer, writer or developer, but her role as SumUp’s Head of Risk and Fraud for the U.S. still requires plenty of creativity. SumUp provides small businesses around the world with payment processing solutions, and it’s Ciocanu’s job to ensure the company’s systems stay safe. Devising the creative solutions that stop fraudsters in their tracks is one of the things Ciocanu said she loves most about working in tech.
Tell us a bit about your career journey. Why did you decide to pursue a career in tech?
Careers in compliance, risk and fraud — both in fintech and traditional financial institutions — are exciting, engaging and rewarding. What makes working for a tech company extra interesting is the constant challenge to come up with innovative ways to stay ahead of the bad actors who are always attempting to compromise company systems. In tech, we are truly empowered to be more creative than the fraudsters.
What I love most about my career in tech is the fact that no matter if you are in marketing, customer experience or product, everyone is united by a common goal.”
What do you love most about your tech career? Are there any specific aspects of your job that really make you light up?
What I love most about my career in tech is the fact that no matter if you are in marketing, customer experience or product, everyone is united by a common goal. Everyone is here to provide best-in-class solutions to our merchants, and we all put in 100 percent effort toward this common goal. You know and feel that your work matters and that your ideas can be brought to fruition, and you learn so much more than just your direct responsibilities in the process.
Ask around any small startup or large enterprise and you’ll find plenty of dyed-in-the-wool techies who spent their whole lives dreaming of working on cutting-edge tech. But there are even more people like FRONTSTEPS Product Manager Francesca Moss, who realized that tech was where she wanted to be after starting her career in a completely different field.
Tell us a bit about your career journey. Why did you decide to pursue a career in tech?
I earned an engineering degree but realized that my strengths and aspirations would better align if I took a technical business position. I focused on renewable energy in school and my first job was at a Fortune 200 energy company where I started a two-year rotational program that focused on gaining experience in core business units, such as project management, business analysis and marketing. This position allowed me to gain the business and technical acumen I needed to develop products focused on a relevant issue, along with how to help end users solve that issue.
I joined FRONTSTEPS to hone my skills in product development and product management. I decided to pursue a career in tech in the hope that one day I could create an easy-to-consume application to better facilitate renewable and sustainable practices from an end-user perspective.
I joined FRONTSTEPS to hone my skills in product development and product management.”
What do you love most about your tech career? Are there any specific aspects of your job that really make you light up?
I believe my generation is the first to really understand and realize the importance of technology and how it can benefit humankind. So many new concepts appear daily around how we can facilitate a better and fuller way of life. The fact that I get to be present and assist in these strides to a more technical society makes me extremely excited and gives me a feeling of responsibility to ensure that we drive it in the correct direction.
