If you trust yourself, so will others

Ylona Meeuwenberg is software developer / application specialist in the Innovation Team at Volksbank. She is the scrum master of her team and controls one of the backend systems.

What do you like most about your job?

I like how my job is different from day to day.

Some days I am programming all day, being in my zone, alone behind my computer. And other days we are working in a team, thinking about different functionalities and possibilities.

For some people, being a developer sounds like a lonely job. But most of the time we are actually working together and helping each other.

What is it like working for Volksbank?

The culture at Volksbank really appeals to me. As developers, we are not working in a separate building, we are part of the open culture of the company. We feel free to comment on each other’s work, in order to help each other. There are many possibilities within the company and there is a lot of space for personal growth.

What have you learned, working in a team with mostly men?

Women are usually modest and sometimes they can be insecure about their own skills. That is one of the reasons why they don’t often choose a career in digital technology. I have done job interviews, doubting if I was good enough for the position. But I’ve learned that if you trust that you can do something, others will too. As a woman, working in a team with mostly men, you have to be able to stand up for yourself.

What advice would you give girls starting a career in digital technology?

I would advise them to stay flexible all the time. When you choose a study, any technical course is a good start. In digital technology, things change all the time.

So just make sure you get a good education and don’t worry too much about which one. The one you choose now, will be outdated in 20 years anyway. Most of the skills you will learn during your job!