Women uplifting women | From individual power to collective impact
2023: NovemberNumerous research shows the benefits of having a diverse workforce. Within the technology (tech) industry, women have been a vital part since the beginning, yet they are still underrepresented. In fact, women make up barely a third of workers in tech according to a report by The World Bank. The number has even been declining in the past decades. A report by Accenture attributes much of this decline to a lack of inclusivity for women in the industry.
In this personal story, we share the unique journey and challenges of Irina Surcel (35), Recruiter at ORTEC Central and Eastern Europe (in short: ORTEC CEE). Instead of taking the rather conventional and expected career path, she decided to make her own choices and changed careers. She is now doing what makes her truly happy: “I can’t imagine not doing this job.”
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‘ORTEC’s Women in Tech’ is a series highlighting some of our amazing women. At ORTEC, we value a diverse and inclusive workforce. Nonetheless, with about one third of our workforce identifying as female, we would like to increase this number. By launching ‘ORTEC’s Women in Tech’ series, we aim to inspire women to enter the tech industry – we can tell from experience that it’s a great environment to be in!
A series written for women, by women, about women. Interview & text by Linda Janssen.
What do I want to do in life?
To many, it’s a pretty difficult question: ‘What do you want to do in life?’. Especially when you’re at a young age, you might not know the answer yet. As a result, you might end up choosing a study or career that feels like the most logical choice, or because it’s in some way expected from you. This is exactly the situation that Irina Surcel (35), Recruiter at ORTEC, has been in when she had to choose her major in high school. Irina explains: “Many of my family members were working in accounting, and I admired them. It therefore felt like a logical choice to me to choose that path, too. However, rather soon, I realized that accountancy wasn’t it for me. While I felt quite insecure – and imagine, I was only 15 years old at that time - I was driven by the mantra “If you can be anything in life, be yourself”. It took some courage, but eventually I let go of expectations and decided to choose me.
From hairstylist to tech recruiter
“It was at my sister’s wedding when I realized what I wanted to do. For her wedding, she asked me to style her hair. It was lovely, as it allowed me to be creative, but also it was so rewarding to see how happy she was with the final result of her hairstyle. Seeing her this happy made me realize that this is eventually what makes me happy, too – through hairstyling, I can combine my creativity while making women feel beautiful – this empowers them in a way.” Shortly after realizing that she wanted to become a hairstylist, Irina told her parents. “You can do it as a hobby”, was their initial response. “It made me insecure. After all, I still decided to pursue hairstyling as a career.” Irina spent five years as a hairstylist in prominent Bucharest salons and joined various competitions. At some point, she felt like she wanted to embrace another challenge, and that’s when she heard from a friend about a new job opening at ORTEC. She still has a big passion for hairstyling, so this is something she still does regularly in addition to her job.
The photo shows one of the impressive hairstyles Irina created when she participated in a competition.
Life at ORTEC
About 11 years ago, Irina’s journey at ORTEC started. She initially started as a front office assistant, as she really likes to help and interact with people. From this role, she smoothly transitioned into her current role as a recruiter. “As a front office assistant, I was helping my recruitment colleagues to schedule interviews, post job openings, et cetera. They also frequently asked me about my first impression of candidates. I loved to answer that, and realized recruitment could be it for me.” Irina’s manager showed her more about recruitment and HR, and then encouraged her: “I think it’s time for you to get this job in recruitment full time, if you like.” After some trainings, Irina felt ready and happily started this new adventure as a recruiter. When asking her how she likes it, she answers with a smile: “It’s a job I can’t imagine not doing.”
⭐️ Women supporting women
What has personally really helped Irina to grow both as a person and in her new role, has been the support of her manager. “My manager is like a mentor to me. She has been truly listening, supporting, and encouraging me. It’s incredible and I’m so grateful for that. Having a mentor is a great support, and I can only encourage that women empower and support each other more. This way, we can lift each other up. A woman alone has power, but collectively, we can make impact. Traditionally we have been taught to be competitive. However, raising each other up is truly how we’ll make a change — and have more fun along the way. Therefore, let’s empower each other more.”
⭐️ Recruiting women in tech
As a recruiter, Irina plays a significant role in which candidates get hired. “When someone applies for a job, we don’t look at gender. We look for a potential match on experience and organizational fit.” When asking her how she looks at women in tech from a recruitment perspective, she says that she has seen a positive change over the last couple of years in applications. “I see a growth in (young) women applying for our jobs, and that’s just great. I’m so happy with ORTEC’s commitment to promoting gender equality in tech. Still, our main aim remains to hire the best candidate, despite someone’s gender, nationality, et cetera.”
Outside of work
While Irina is originally Romanian and living in Bucharest, she is crazy about Italy and anything related to it. From Italian food (‘Who doesn’t like it!?’ she would say), to the lifestyle, all the way to… vespa’s! To get a bit of her own Italian touch, she got herself a Vespa and happily rides throughout the busy, crowded streets in Bucharest. When not on the Vespa, you might find her walking her dogs named Asi and Bella, or reading emotional intelligence books. Her favorite author: Daniel Goleman. Some days, Irina feels like a morning person. On days like these, you’’ll find her in the gym at 7am. It gives her an energy boost, and then off she goes to work at the office or from home.
Join our journey
We’re on a journey to attract more women into tech. Are you interested in pursuing a career at ORTEC? Or looking for a job like Irina's?