Good news everyone! I have recently decided to join the most brilliant of companies, Baringa Partners.
Now you may be asking yourself why in the world is Baringa, a specialist management consultancy, doing hiring an Ethical Hacker? Let's be honest, it's not the first place one would think of when looking into Ethical Hacking.. However, the reason they offered, and the reason I accepted, is the culture. For those that do not know Baringa, they won the Best UK company to work for this year, in the large companies’ category, and it is mainly for this reason.
At this point in my career, I am privileged enough to be able to be a bit more picky in the positions I take. So this time round, I was keen to find a company that felt both welcoming and embodied the right values and behaviours.
I wrote another post on Values & Behaviours back in mid-October, discussing how, it's not just the employees job to keep motivated; it is also a key part of being an effective manager. Like everyone else, I'm human, I need the support of my colleagues and friends to continue to do great things. I wanted a company that would respect and support me, thereby helping me become even more brill.
The interview process for Baringa started out a bit unusual. I was applying for an internal Cyber security role, however I didn’t just have interviews. I was invited to coffee dates where I met people I would be working with, as well others in the same grade level but different departments, where we simply discussed the typical day, culture, and shared passions. After going through this process we eventually decided that I'd be a better fit in their cyber security consulting practice. However, this wasn't the unusual part. Throughout the entire interview process I never felt like I was being judged for my technical capability, like I have been elsewhere.
As I'm sure you've realised, I'm female, working in a male dominated environment and challenging career. I have become so used to having to prove myself and justify my value to my colleagues, often daily, that when I went through my latest interview process I was taken completely off guard. I was made to feel instantly trusted and respected. I never realised interviewing at a company could be so rewarding.
In my final interview, with James Beverley, I remember thinking I already felt like a part of the team - this was just another meeting. This feeling was beyond odd, as I have never felt this relaxed in an interview process, and it really allowed me to perform at my best.
By the time I came into the office for my induction, I didn't have that first day terror - if you don't know what that is, let me just say it’s the most uncomfortable experience you could have. Within a couple days I attended the company wide meeting. People knew who I was and interested in how I was settling in. When we split into our departments for some team building, I jumped right in and felt completely supported by the team I had literally just met.
I'm super excited for the new adventures I have in store with Baringa, there will always be challenges in any career, but knowing I've found a place that actually at the core cares for it's people is more rewarding than I could explain. I’m looking forward to helping the business thrive and adding to what is already an excellent culture.