»I’m proud of myself for having the courage to step out of my comfort zone«
Five learnings from Hồ Hồng Ngọc
»I’m proud of myself for having the courage to step out of my comfort zone«
Hồ Hồng Ngọc is a Senior Consultant based at our Vietnam office. With a bachelor’s degree in English, she never imagined that she would end up working in IT. However, in 2020, she joined Netcompany shortly after graduating from university. Since then, she has continued to develop her competencies as she has taken on project management responsibilities. Here, she shares five reflections from her journey of transitioning from a nontechnical background to a tech career.
1. Embrace new opportunities
Two turning points changed my career path forever. The first was when I applied for a job at Netcompany as a Content Management Specialist. The second turning point was when I accepted the challenge of moving from my daily tasks within the content team to a project management role.
»This transition was a giant leap that led me to manage an IT project«
2. Learn new things every day
Taking on the project manager role was a new experience for me. I was confident in my business knowledge of the project, but the role as a project manager was more demanding. I began working with various stakeholders both inside and outside of Netcompany. At first, it was tough to understand all the technical terms and the different teams’ processes. I had to coordinate work between the client and our internal team, going back and forth to ensure tasks were completed on time and within budget. The project manager role was completely new to me, and it hasn’t always been easy. However, I’m happy to learn new things every day and get the opportunity to grow.
3. Broaden your horizons
While studying at university, I volunteered as a tour guide for foreigners. Here, I had the chance to meet and talk to people from around the world. At first, being a tour guide was purely something I did for fun. But it has helped me develop better communication skills, a problem-solving mindset, and exposure to different cultures. These experiences have enabled me to work in an international environment like Netcompany.
4. If you want to go far, go together
I’m proud to say that I have a fantastic team at Netcompany. It’s my teammates who motivate me every day at work. There’s no such thing as a level hierarchy or a gap between seniors and juniors. We all work toward the same goals and support each other on rainy days. I’m happy to be able to say that my colleagues are not just my colleagues, but they are, in fact, also my friends.
5. Focus on progress, not perfection
It took me years to learn that we never outgrow the need for gentle, supportive guidance, even as adults. And that’s how I have been trying to treat myself. When transitioning from a non-IT background to an IT career, I often wondered whether it suited me. However, looking back on a nearly 4-year journey, I’m happy to say I’ve progressed considerably. We can fall short now and again, but it’s important to be patient and give ourselves a little grace.
