#LifeAtWebroot

Women of Webroot and Carbonite talk about what drew them to the field and their advice for others looking to break into STEM.

The lack of representative diversity in tech has been long acknowledged and well-studied. 

Organizations and non-profit groups like National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), Girls Who Code and She++ do excellent work to help address the issue. CIO, a digital magazine for tech business leaders, maintains a helpful hub of resources “dedicated to uplifting women in tech, pushing inclusivity in the workplace and closing the diversity gap.”

Unfortunately, despite this wealth of organizations dedicated to researching and addressing the problem, meaningful progress has been harder to come by. (And if you’re not convinced this is a problem, consider this: a study of 500 U.S.-based companies found that racial and gender diversity was associated with increased sales revenue, market share and relative profits.)

CIO reports that women in tech remain underpaid, underrepresented and more likely to be discriminated against. Despite holding 57 percent of professional positions in the U.S., women hold only 26 percent of positions in tech. Half of all women in STEM fields report experiencing workplace discrimination. The percentage of female computer scientists is actually falling in America.

September 14 kicks off National Coding Week and the third Tuesday of September (September 15 this calendar year) is National IT Professionals day. In celebration, we’ve asked some of the female IT professionals within our organization about representation in IT, what drew them to the field and advice for other women interested in STEM.

What led you to a career in STEM?

“After starting my career as a web design and developer, I became more involved in the web development which led me to where I am today, a principal UI engineer. I’ve always had a passion for making flat designs come to life and find it very exciting when I see my work go live.” – Christiane Evans, Principal UI Engineer

What makes you proud to be a woman in STEM?

“Realizing there are no wrong questions and no one knows everything, I resolved to challenge myself to learn something new every day. If being a woman in tech makes me different, then I am proud to be different. So, I say follow your passion. That passion and talent will take you miles, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” – Kirupha Balasubramian, Sr. Devops Engineer

What advice would you give to women looking to join a STEM field?

“Be curious. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Challenge yourself to solve problems. Never stop learning; continue learning new technologies to buil your skills and toolset. Put in the hard work, know your work inside out and you’ll feel confident in your abilities.” – Krystie Shetye, Director of Software Development

What would you say is one of the greatest challenges for women working in STEM?

“Working in engineering is its own constant learning curve. I think women should look for support everywhere we can to assure ourselves. We can and should do whatever we want to – no matter the barriers. Technology changes so fast, we have to constantly adapt. Though that’s part of the reason I love it here and why I love engineering as a career.” – Mingyan Qu, VP of Quality Engineering

Putting our values to work

The skills gap in cybersecurity is real and a detriment to businesses of all sizes. We believe there’s room enough for everyone in STEM, and the industry needs all the help it can get.

Webroot and its parent company OpenText are committed to diversity in hiring. In its 2020 Corporate Citizenship Report, OpenText reaffirmed its support of the 30% Club and committed to the goal of 30% of board seats and executive roles to be held by women by 2022.

To see what positions are available for you at OpenText, visit our careers page here.

The post Celebrating Women in STEM for National Coding Week and IT Pro Day appeared first on Webroot Blog.

According to a report from hired.com, the demand for security engineers is up 132%. Additionally, the need for engineers who specialize in data analytics and machine learning has increased by 38% and 27%, respectively. Given recent trends in cybersecurity, it’s no wonder, and demand at Webroot is no exception. To be successful, our software engineers have to stay ahead of AI and machine learning trends so they can explore, work, grow, and effectively evolve tech in the cybersecurity industry.  

We talked to Alia AlaaElDin Adly, a software engineer based in Linz, Austria. In her role, Alia is constantly looking for new technology, testing platforms, and developing the new solutions to stay ahead of modern threats.  

What is your favorite part of working as a software engineer?

I enjoy exploring new technology and frameworks, specially figuring out problems by hand. Software engineers don’t always receive all the requirements up front, so we need to develop strategies and work on tasks without having all the pieces necessary to execute. For example, take the testing framework SpecFlow. We had to do a lot of research, have numerous brainstorming sessions, and rework the project outline to create a viable structure that would fit the needs of our APIs. It’s a fun challenge.

What does a week as a software engineer look like?

It really depends on the task at hand. Some tasks take a day or two, and others can take quite a bit longer. In planning, most tasks are designed to be completed in a maximum of two days, but, when you meet an unexpected obstacle and need to find a workaround, the task needs more time. Also, you have to factor in how much research or prototyping a task may require. One thing I can say about working at Webroot is that I am learning a lot. It’s like a rollercoaster ride: ups and downs, lefts and rights, spirals, and just when you think you’re done, even more spirals!

What have you learned / what skills have you built in this role?

When I started, I had pretty bad documentation habits. You hear a lot about the importance of documentation in school, but some lessons don’t really sink in until you have to face them in a real-world setting. I would say I still need to work on it, but my documentation has really improved! I am also getting better at having a proper project structure, and I’m really enjoying all the new tools and technologies I get to learn, like the Specflow framework and Xamarin forms.

What is your greatest accomplishment in your career at Webroot so far?

I work on the Unity API team based in Linz, Austria. The Webroot® Unity API is a platform that enables admins to dig deeper into the services and information Webroot offers. It’s a really useful tool for a lot of our customers, and I helped build out a automation testing framework to create smoke and regression tests for the API. Also, I managed and organized the end-of-year spotlight video that showcased what our team had accomplished.

What brought you to Webroot after your last job?

I was already in Austria completing my masters when I applied for the job. During the interview process, I liked how Webroot felt like a family. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming the day I started. Instead of making me feel like a nervous newcomer, they brought me in and helped me feel involved and important right away. And it has stayed that way.

Best career advice you’ve received?

To always be flexible and not limit yourself. You have to be curious not only about the world around you, but what you can do in it. If you keep your options open, you’re more likely to discover new strengths, and new (and exciting!) challenges to overcome.

What is your favorite thing to do in Linz?

I enjoy walking around in the city center and along the Danube River. I also like to go cycling, climbing, and running. During spring and summer, I usually bike to work and I like going to the lake to play beach racket. Of course, I love traveling and visiting new cities and countries! I feel very lucky that Webroot’s Linz office is in such a good location, which makes quick day trips and weekend travel really easy.

The post Employee Spotlight: Chat with Alia AlaaEldin Adly appeared first on Webroot Blog.

With job growth projected to surge 24% over the next seven years, software engineering is one of the most demanded professional fields in the U.S. Exceptionally competitive pay and the chance to pursue careers across many industries are just a few benefits of being a software engineer.

We explore how software engineers working in cybersecurity face unique challenges and opportunities in our sit down with Fred Yip, Manager of Software Development in Webroot’s San Diego office.

Besides this sunny San Diego weather, what gets you out of bed and into the office?

I’m surrounded everyday by smart people who want to do their best to solve customer problems. There is a lot to do, but the work is very engaging and rewarding. My favorite part of the job is working closely with my team to deliver products to our customers. We work in a startup-like environment. Everyone wears many hats: as software developer, as tester, DevOps engineer, and customer support. 

There are many industries that demand your talent, what drew you to cybersecurity?

Cyberattacks are a rising trend. I used to work for an enterprise serving Fortune 500 companies. Knowing that cyberattacks affect everybody, I saw an opportunity to bring my skillset to Webroot. We extend our product to small and mid-sized businesses as well as consumers, which gives me the satisfaction of building a top-notch technology for anyone who needs it, whether it be a doctor’s office, coffee shop, or someone walking down the street.

What does a week of life at Webroot look like for you? 

A typical week for a manager is not much different than that of a team member. We do software development, testing, and deployment of product features as a team. I help design and implement the cloud infrastructure that supports our software components as microservices. In addition, I look out for the well-being of each team member in terms of technical, personal, and career development. 

What skills and traits do you look when hiring software engineers?

As an engineer, you have to be a team player, not self-focused. I look for a lot of integrity and honesty about what they are doing and what they know and don’t know. An eager attitude toward learning is important because it allows them to solve problems and contribute to the team. When they bring their best character and performance, they help to build a strong team. As long as someone has some relevant experience, they can always learn the technical skills. And an ability to learn new things quickly is another thing I always look for in a potential team member.  

Are there any outside activities that you and your team are involved in?

We attended a coding challenge at UC San Diego earlier this year, where we host students for a friendly competition. It was very high energy and there was a lot of participation. It was a fun challenge beyond just writing code. You could actually see the code working against others and the top winner was recognized after we gave out prizes. I always tell candidates to participate in the event, it’s a way to motivate them to join our team!

Check out Highlights from the UCSD Coding Challenge

The post Get to Know Manager of Software Development, Fred Yip appeared first on Webroot Blog.

Cybersecurity has become the hot industry – tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your cybersecurity internship (and land a job after graduation). 

Students today are faced with grueling course loads, pressure to get real-world experience and a looming competitive job market. The need for hands-on knowledge and a developed resume is crucial, making internships a necessity. However, once you nail your interview and land your position, how do you prepare and make the most out of the opportunity?

The goal of an internship is to prepare you for your future career. While earning a college degree in computer science is quite an accomplishment, in the cybersecurity field, a theoretical knowledge and your required coding and science classes just aren’t enough. It’s critical to supplement those courses with real experience tackling a variety of threats in the cyber landscape, not only to gain new skills, but also understand what it’s really like to work in cybersecurity to decide if that career path is right for you.

Learn how Webroot is building a cybersecurity talent pipeline through our annual Coding Challenge.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, companies and government organizations are beginning to lock in contracts with cybersecurity job candidates younger than ever before–during junior, sometimes even sophomore year. Often, these early recruits are individuals who interned for the company in the past and proved themselves as an invaluable member of the team; securing a good position and acing your internship have never been more crucial to future career success. There’s no better feeling than having job security heading back to college for your senior year or being able to focus your electives on skills that will immediately translate to skills you’ll need for your upcoming role.

Be Eager and Ready to Learn 

While pursuing a major in cybersecurity provides the background necessary for your internship, you won’t know it all. You should walk into your internship everyday ready to learn the ins and outs of the field and be eager to take on new experiences. Say “yes” to everything.

According to William W. Dyer, director of the Corporate Affiliates Program for the Jacobs School of Engineering at the University of California San Diego, “Students study theories, case studies and learn both fundamental and advanced coding, but are not able to work on threats and breaches in real-time. They have structured work with a finite ending (quarters are 10 weeks long), whereas hacks and threats can happen at any time and require immediate response and solutions.”

A simple way to learn (and network) is to reach out to a few professionals who are working on a project you’re interested in or skilled in an area you’d like to further develop. Grabbing a quick coffee with someone who has been working in the cybersecurity field will allow you to gain valuable insights and real-world anecdotes. Not only will these people be able to mentor you, but they could even be a reference when the time comes for you to apply for jobs after graduation. 

Be Up-To-Date on All Things Cybersecurity 

Before your first day, it’s important to be well versed in the latest cybersecurity news, trends and data breaches. Taking the initiative to keep up on the latest in the industry and to provide an educated opinion on these issues will not only set you apart from other interns, but it will impress your managers and allow you to have a deeper understanding of your tasks and assignments. Every security incident is an opportunity to learn and ask questions that will serve you well later.

When pressed for what cybersecurity students should do to prepare for a future career in the space, Fred Yip, manager of software development at Webroot said, “Follow cybersecurity news and podcasts to understand what problems the industry is facing.” 

Listening to a security podcast on your morning commute or setting up simple Google alerts for topics such as, ‘data breach,’ or ‘cybersecurity,’ will keep you up to date on the conversations happening in the space. Lots of great discussions happen on professional LinkedIn forums and Twitter too.

Continue to Grow in Cybersecurity, Even After Your Internship Ends

Once your internship has concluded, it is important to keep growing and honing your arsenal, especially that crucial developer knowledge. According to Dyer, “We encourage our students to participate in any and all extracurricular activities that enhance their skills.” Taking online tutorial courses or participating in hackathons or coding challenges are a great way to put your new skills to the test.

That said, continuing to challenge yourself in school and taking coding and cybersecurity classes is also important. Classes that are focused around operating systems, network security, digital forensics or a variety of computer programming languages like C++, Javascript, Python are all courses that will serve you in your future career. Finding the link between class and real-world is the key to a successful career. 

Also continue following industry news and engaging with professionals through social channels. The network you create during your college years with classmates, professors and folks you meet during your internships will be instrumental in securing future opportunities. Check in with your internship managers, what’s their take on the latest data breach, acquisition or trend?

In today’s competitive job market, setting yourself apart through quality work is important and can be the key to a future at that company. While the classroom provides you with the concepts necessary to succeed, real-world experience will not only help you decide if a career in cybersecurity is something you want to continue to pursue, but you will gain invaluable knowledge and begin to grow your professional network that will be so crucial upon graduation. It is important to connect with colleagues and other interns, keep up with cybersecurity news, engage with professionals and accept as many opportunities as possible to learn about your chosen career path, allowing you to get the most out of your internship.

The post Will You Ace Your Cybersecurity Internship? appeared first on Webroot Blog.