In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting Liaison employees who identify as women whose contributions have been integral to our success.
Director of Analytics Dilyana Ocetova earned a master’s degree in Computer Information Science (CIS) from Boston University and worked for several years as a database engineer and engineering team leader before joining Liaison in 2016.
What drew you to the technology industry?
Dilyana Ocetova (DO): The industry is extremely dynamic and exciting. It demands constant learning and grit, and is perfect for someone who finds solving complex problems rewarding. I love math, logic and people and find this industry provides a very appropriate field of expression.
What’s one of the greatest challenges you’ve faced as a person who identifies as a woman in the workplace?
DO: The challenge which came to mind immediately is “Impostor Syndrome.” It is common among women, and seems to be a lot less common among men (based on available data). It was very prominent during my college years, when a consistent stream of top performances did nothing to convince me that every next exam or project is not going to be a failure. This carried over seamlessly into my career before I knew the term Impostor Syndrome existed. It took me a long time to start better controlling my own doubt and criticism regarding the success of my projects and the quality of my abilities.
What is the most impactful professional lesson you’ve learned since you began your career?
DO: The list is long, but if I had to pick, it would be that people, not technology for its own sake, are the most important thing — even in the technology industry. Empathy, emotional intelligence, asking questions, listening, trust and putting people (with their needs and problems) first are indispensable for building successful products and teams. Absent this mindset, in the context of our industry, even a brilliant technology is not guaranteed to be solving the right problems for consumers, and even the most promising engineers may be artificially held back from reaching their full potential.
When you’re faced with a tough professional challenge, who/what/where do you look for guidance?
DO: I tend to selectively exhaust all sources at my disposal — the arsenal of knowledge in my digital library and the experience of others shared via various media.
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
DO: The bungee jumps and impulsive adventure trips, the somewhat irresponsible fun activities you wouldn’t share with your family (at least not until a year later), the freedom to ignore everyone’s expectations occasionally, the all-night philosophical discussions with friends, building life-long connections. These are just as important as devouring thousands of pages of science and business books and nailing college exams.
What has been your biggest career and/or personal achievement?
DO: The relatively long distance between my starting point (the dark post-communist age in the poorest corner of Europe) and my current levels of career and personal satisfaction.
Who are your favorite women in history, women who inspire/empower you?
DO: While I’ve certainly admired historical figures, the ones who truly empowered me are the generations of women in my family, each of whom would have done the impossible to give the next a chance, regardless of how hopeless their own time and place may have seemed.
What are you most proud of?
DO: Embracing the concept that everything is a choice and it is possible to achieve your goals without compromising your principles. Making decisions which may not be comfortable or safe but are in sync with my personal and professional principals has been a great source of satisfaction.