Hero Digital is excited to feature Micaela Viola for our Women in Tech series. Micaela encourages women to surround themselves with a supportive community that uplifts and empowers them and gives them the tools to become their best. Read her story below.
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Today marks 8 years since my journey in the Tech world started. I’ve been a QA Engineer for over 6 years (after a dark past in web design, I guess the modern term is UX Dev?), and my career has been truly fulfilling and rewarding. Besides my professional life, I’m lucky my passions and interests helped me to shape my journey and enriched my life in profound ways.
From an early age, I was captivated by everything tech or science related. I was the oddball who loved taking gadgets apart to see what was inside and putting them back together again (never successfully), no remote control was safe around me. Over time, this passion grew stronger, fueled by museum exhibits or watching sci-fi movies that made me say, “I want to do that!” (We all watched Matrix and dreamed about the “hacker” life).
However, my journey has not been without challenges, like everything in life. I was a girl with “non-conventional” dreams in Latin America! My fellow Latin girls will understand what I mean. It’s one thing to be a woman in the IT world and it’s another whole thing to be a woman in IT in Latin America! I stopped counting the times someone said to me “Are you sure you want to work in Tech?” The doubts and fears were around the corner every day, and of course, the fear of Imposter Syndrome appeared. The nagging self-doubt, the fear of not being good enough, and the sense of not belonging in a male-dominated industry. What if no one listened to me? What if my work was worth “less”? Luckily, the power of intention and community is bigger than anything and I refused to let these challenges define me or hold me back. Acknowledging that I wasn’t alone in navigating this challenge, helped me build my confidence, connect better with my mentors and peers, and realize that my worth was not defined by external validation. I learned to embrace my unique strengths as a woman in tech, leverage them to excel in my field to be unapologetically authentic, and that became my banner of strength.
To aspiring women in technology, I would say: GO FOR IT! Embrace your passions and interests wholeheartedly. Don’t let self-doubt or external barriers hold you back. Seek out role models and mentors who have already done it, we have tech influencers everywhere! Surround yourself with a supportive community that uplifts and empowers you, that gives you the tools to become your best. Be resilient, persevere through challenges, and believe in yourself. You are capable of achieving greatness in tech and beyond. Ask for help! Speak up! Never stop asking questions. We’re lucky to be surrounded by such a great community of women willing to help and share their experiences. You’re not alone.
One of my favorite quotes is, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – J.R.R. Tolkien. It’s so important to remember that your time is always valuable but above all, limited. These words remind us that it is up to us to decide how we want to spend that time, and what we want to achieve with it. Whether pursuing your passions outside of work, learning new skills, or making meaningful contributions to your team and company, you and only you have the power to decide how you use your time to create a life and career that brings you purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Be encouraged, be intentional with time. It’s a reminder to not let life pass us by, and to actively shape our own destiny and make the most out of everything.
Last but not least, I’m proud of being where I am today. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t quick, but it was my journey and I wouldn’t do anything differently. Remember, you are capable of achieving greatness, and your unique voice and contributions are invaluable to the industry, you’re here for a reason. Soar to new heights always. The possibilities are endless! I’m looking forward to the next tech challenge that awaits in my career.
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Thanks for your interest in Hero Digital’s Women in Tech. At Hero, we strive to showcase outstanding female talent at our company, and in doing so, empower others—both within and outside of Hero—to join the growing number of women in technical roles across industries. Connect with us on our careers page to learn more about open positions at Hero Digital.
