As part of our Women in Tech series, last Thursday, Kyanon Digital had the pleasure of interviewing Miss Trieu Thi Thanh Hang from the company, whose current position is the Chapter Lead of Front-end Team, Interactive tribe at the company. Miss Hang Trieu has a very interesting story to share: she’s got great advice for navigating effective leadership within your team all whilst still maintaining teamwork and spirit.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Kyanon Digital introduced to you the Women in Tech series – a series where we will interview women in the IT industry for their insight working in the field. Read more to know about their roles, responsibilities, favorite part of working in the industry as well as company current benefits and what they can do better to attract more women to this industry.
Interviewer: Can you share a little bit about what it is that you do and what a typical day for you is like?
Yes, I am currently the Chapter Lead of the Front-end Team for the Interactive division of the organization. Our team currently consists of more than ten people. When I first started this position, the biggest obstacle was that I didn’t know how to handle the role tasks in accordance with corporate policy. To counter this, I devised my own ways and approaches for carrying out those responsibilities while still adhering to the role’s job requirements. My work includes overseeing the hiring process, as well as training and evaluating new interns and juniors based on company cultures and policies, as well as assigning them to projects that are appropriate for their skill sets. I’m also in charge of counseling members on career prospects and responding to their requests and complaints. I’m not sure if my consulting is effective and applicable for them, but I haven’t received any complaints, and they still smile when I see them, so I think that means they found it useful.
Interviewer: Did you always know that working in technology was what you wanted to do? How did you decide to go into computer science?
That’s a very interesting question because I didn’t have any specific goals in mind when I started working in information technology (IT). My parents wanted me to be a teacher or do something related to education, but I despise the idea. Therefore, I decided I can do other jobs, not necessarily a teacher. Furthermore, I excelled in science subjects such as Math, Chemistry, and Physics in high school, so when it came time to choose a university, I chose one that offered all degrees relevant to these areas. So you might say that choosing Computer Science as my degree was a bit of a fluke.
Interviewer: I see. Although that was a random pick, it still turned out to be a happy coincidence. So I want to ask you what makes you stay in the IT industry?
I think it’s because of the people. People who work in IT are rather straightforward in my opinion, so we can communicate with each other and spot the problem rather easily. Moreover, I think of myself as an analytical and intuitive person, so working in an environment that prioritizes research and discovery and is surrounded by like-minded individuals is also a factor that helped me to consider working in this industry, and currently at Kyanon Digital.
Interviewer: Do you think you have any disadvantages or advantages being a woman in the tech industry? Or points of you that you considered stand out from your male counterparts?
I think that I don’t have any traits that stand out more. I believe that whoever is working in IT, male or female, is already excellent in their jobs. This is a cut-throat industry and to be a part of this family requires a lot of sweat and tears because even after graduating, you have to constantly study, research and update your skill sets to keep up with the industry. That’s why I always have a certain respect for someone that chooses this industry as their career path.
Interviewer: With such a stressful industry, there must be a time that you feel overwhelmed. Can you tell us your stress relief remedies or how you deal with these moments?
There have undoubtedly been instances when I have been stressed. There were days when I had to read a lot of documents and view a lot of videos, to the point where my family members were asking questions since the speed was 1.5 times faster than normal, but I don’t believe this was a big deal because I enjoy doing research. However, numerous projects forced me to work extra, even at night, and I believe this had an impact on my physical health at the time. Regardless, claiming that this is primarily attributable to the job is wrong.
Because I was new to the position of Lead and had little experience, I made mistakes when assigning tasks to my crew. That taught me valuable lessons in people management and leadership, rather than the physical aspects of the projects. A team that is stressed out owing to a heavy workload may also be a sign of bad leadership. After that experience, I learned that when you’re overwhelmed, don’t be hesitant to ask for help. That is the goal of teamwork; doing solo work and dismissing the importance of teamwork is, as I have learnt, a terrible management decision.
Interviewer: So right now, do you consider yourself a good Lead, or a better version of yourself compared to the past? If so, do you have any tips or advice?
In comparison to the past, I believe I am a better version of myself right now. I believe that as long as miscommunication is resolved and communication is prioritized, for example, if members have any difficulties with the work or the environment in which we are currently working, the leader should build trust with the members by quickly resolving these issues so that members feel comfortable confining in the Team Lead in the future, should there be any issues.
Interviewer: What do you think of the working environment at Kyanon Digital? Is the environment any different from the other environments you have worked in?
I think that people here are friendly and understanding, not just during working hours. I also like the Time Off and Remote working policy here. If you have any urgent or you want to have a nice little time to recharge your energy, you can ask for time off or work remotely easily, as long as you finish your tasks. In my last position, the environments are mostly coworkers that are much older than me, so I did find difficulties in communicating. However, at Kyanon Digital, the environments are more agile and lively because mainly there are interns working in our company, so I can navigate myself through communication here more easily.
Interviewer: What advice would you give to newcomers who would like to start a career in tech, especially women?
Well for starters, benefits, and salaries (smile).
But seriously, I believe that if you are interested in the field, try it. If the trial phrase turns out to not be a match, then we can pick another path. The worst thing would be not trying anything, not making mistakes. So I would say, go for it.
Interviewer: Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview and sharing your valuable insight.
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Check out our Women in Tech series.
