Violeta Risueño
Sr Software Engineer
Friday, 9 August 2024
Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Violeta and I'm a software engineer with a focus in frontend development and web technologies.
Whats your background?
I began my career with a strong foundation in the arts, earning a degree that honed my creative thinking, communication and management skills. However, my passion for technology, which began at age 12 when I started coding on the side, eventually led me to transition into software development in 2018. This shift allowed me to merge my artistic vision with technical expertise, enabling me to create pixel perfect and user-focused digital solutions.
Since changing careers, I've become a full-time software engineer with a proven track record in web development, working on impactful projects and contributing to the tech community. My journey from the arts to technology, underpinned by years of coding experience, has equipped me with a unique perspective that drives my innovative approach to software design and development.
Whats your current role?
I'm a senior software engineer at Eventbrite.
Why have you decided to learn to code?
I started to code because my brother told me I wasn't capable of making a website (I was 12!). After that I fell in love with coding and technology so I just kept going. Even though I was never thinking about coding for a living, I organically started getting clients (people around me that knew about my skills). I pursued a degree in Arts (my other big passion) but I realized that technology was my "thing". So after I obtained my degree in Art Managemet and Curatorship, I switched careers and I became a software engineer.
Do you think its important to learn to code?
I think it's a great skill to have, even if you don't want to pursue it full time. It teaches you how to think step by step, analyze situations and think of what can go wrong. Of course, it opened a lot of opportunities for me, but I know of some designers who picked it up and it helped them understand the way things are built better.
Do you feel the tech industry is male dominated? How can we encourage more women into the industry?
In my personal experience, even though I was coding and doing technology on a dialy basis, no one encouraged me to study anything related or even suggested to go to pursue an engineering degree. It's funny that I never even thought of it as a possibility, until I was out of college and I started developing my work life.
I think it is important to make the younger generations aware of STEM careers, all the different possibilities and what it takes to join the tech industry. Most importantly, let me try it and see if it's something that fulfills them, like it fulfilled me when I was a kid.
I think the past few years it has gotten better, but I do think that it is still a male-dominated industry, especially the higher you go on the hyerarchy. There are a lot of underrepresented groups in tech that are not shining despite their amazing talent, and we need to support each other. For me, building digital products is about team work, and lifting each other up empowers everyone around you, including potential leaders.
Did you struggle being a woman in the tech industry yourself?
I did struggle but I found a lot of support as well, that made it even for me. I definitely was not set up for success from the go, as I explained before, especially regarding my education... Luckily, I found really good mentors that made me feel like I was capable and guided me in the first few years of my career transition. I think it's important to talk things out with someone with experience, especially when you are starting out.
Whats the most rewarding and most challenging parts of your tech career so far?
I absolutely love seeing the things I build being used by other people, it's my joy. I also have so much fun trying new technologies, I have a passion for learning and tech demands it as part of the job, so in that regard it's a perfect fit for me. I also really love getting together with the product team and creating something new together, it's just rewarding seeing the whole process bloom.
The most challenging parts of my tech career so far has been work-life balance, feeling like I'm not good enough or that I'm not doing a good job. I am always pushing myself, and taking more responsabilities that I perhaps should. I have to constantly remind myself that there is so much I can do in a day, and accept the fact that what matters is that I'm trying my best and I want whatever I'm working on to succeed.