My name is Dima, I’m a technical consultant engineer part from the TP team in Cisco’s technical assistance centre in Brussels. But my story in IT started a long way from here…
I graduated from university in 2015 and I was able to find a job offer directly after the graduation at Estarta (Jordan). I started my career as an outsourced employee for CISCO TAC (Technical Assistance Center). In addition to studying network and security engineering at college, I got an advantage of passing the CCNA exam and become a Cisco CCNA certified professional while preparing for my final semester. This certification helped me to pass the job interview process smoothly.
Over the course of the first four years in my career, I passed CCNP and CCIE certificates. In 2019, I was selected by my manager to work remotely with the TP team in Belgium, which allowed me to build strong technical skills and deepen my knowledge in the VOIP technology. In 2022, I received a job offer from Cisco Belgium TAC to join the TP team. I am so proud and feel fortunate to have opportunity to work for Cisco and build my future with the company. It is such an amazing organization with a flexible environment, supportive team, and management. It is not just a place to work; it feels a second family, supporting us to keep our health and family in first place.
What is like being a woman in the tech industry?
Being a woman in the tech industry can be both rewarding and challenging, and it is important to recognize and address the obstacles that women may face in this field such as balance between personal life and work , time management , work stress and keep learning to improve skills and knowledge, however working in a supportive and motivating company can help us to take on our challenges to balance our life and build a great future .
What advice would you give to other women who are starting their careers in the tech industry?
As a mother of two children, after 10 years of marriage, and 8 years of working in the networking area, I can assure you that regardless of your gender, age or marital and family situation, you can excel in your field. Your female gender should not prevent you from working in networking and IT sector.
The key to success lies in following your dreams, believing in yourself, and being confident. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes; instead, embrace them and learn from them. Don’t be shy of asking questions, it is a valuable way to improve your knowledge, information, and skills. Surround yourself with positive and successful people, as this will propel your career forward more quickly. Don’t let any negative feedback let you down and make you want to quit. The golden rule for you is to maintain a work-life balance, and not to forget about yourself. With proper time management and support from your family and your team, you will ROCK IT.
Who is your inspiration?
My husband is my true inspiration, he makes me believe in myself and in my abilities. He is always there to support and encourage me, helping me face every challenge and always pushing me forward to achieve greater things. He helps me to overcome any difficulty that might occur during my career.
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