Continuing from our series of Women in Tech, Miss Hoai Phan, who had given us one spot in her busy schedule to interview her last Thursday, disclosed a very elaborated guide on how she effectively manages her work-life balance.

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?

Currently, my position is QC Team Leader. My date-to-date job includes Quality Assurance for our company’s projects, supervising the hiring process of my team; training new juniors and interns as well as keeping up the team spirit by hosting weekly sharing sessions.

Interviewer: Why did you decide to go into the IT industry?

I have a strong passion for technology. Growing up, I thought this would be the correct career path, which has proven to be right, as I enjoy working in this industry.

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 believe that in this field, women’s feminine features such as detail-orientedness and carefulness would be accentuated more and that these are the characteristics that would set them apart from their male counterparts. For example, in my current role, I am responsible for conducting research and presenting information to my team, which necessitates a high level of attention to detail, which I like and strive to achieve every day.

Interviewer: You have mentioned that your current position is Team Lead and that you have to work with our new interns on a daily basis. Can you share some tips for effective communication?

At least one meeting and one bonding session will be held per week for my team. We will discuss our current initiatives, the obstacles that have arisen, and the solutions to the problems during our weekly meeting. We, both me and our interns, shall discuss our previous expertise on various IT issues throughout our bonding session. It could be any troubles we’ve had and/or the solutions we’ve come up with so that we can all learn from one other. I believe it is a terrific opportunity for the team to unite since everyone can learn something new from their coworkers and mentors.

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 the environment here at Kyanon Digital is welcoming and everybody is so friendly, which has a good vibe to it. That was the aspect of the company that I enjoyed best.

Interviewer: What advice would you give to newcomers who would like to start a career in tech, especially women?

It would be a fantastic decision, in my opinion. Because, in addition to the high wages, IT businesses provide a variety of advantages to their employees, and I feel this field would be a good fit for women. There are a number of roles that do not need coding, so the possibilities are limitless. However, you must have a solid understanding of IT, in other words, you must completely comprehend the job description of your jobs and, if necessary, alter your skill sets accordingly.

Interviewer: Do you think working in this industry is the correct career path you have taken?

Yes, I believe that working in this industry is one of my best decisions ever.

Interviewer: With such a stressful industry, there must be a time that you feel overwhelmed. Can you tell us your guide to effective work-life balance management ?

Yes, there have been instances where I was extremely stressed and overworked. This is an urgent plea for you to switch to a different approach that will allow you to work at a faster rate. When you are overwhelmed, instead of worrying and getting even more worried, I believe that the best way to reduce stress is to identify the reason for your headaches, which is your poor working approach.

The key is that you have to know how to prioritize tasks at work depending on their importance and deadlines, going from most important to least important. For example, if you were given a project with a Friday deadline and estimated that you could complete it in two hours, but your supervisor asked you to take on a larger project that is due tomorrow, you must prioritize the more important task and continue the smaller one once the larger one is completed. Simultaneously, you may allocate those responsibilities to your team members and, if necessary, train them so that they can assist you not only for this current task but also in the future.

These two approaches may be bothersome at first, but once you’ve become used to them, you’ll notice that your work proceeds at a more easy pace.