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For our new series of YLD Perspectives’ interviews, we’ve invited our ‘insiders’ to shed light on their dreams and aspirations, career growth as well as their experience working at YLD.
Could you introduce yourself, please?
My name is Liliana Alves. I work as an Operations Assistant at YLD and I’m based in Porto.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
I remember that since my childhood I have always wanted to be a singer. Music is my passion; it’s a family heritage so it has always been part of my life. As a kid, I also aspired to be a teacher so I could share my knowledge, inspire and nurture others’ curiosity. Working as a teacher would also give me the chance to empower and help other people bring their best self to the classroom and later in their life.
What attracted you to the tech industry?
I was introduced to the tech world due to a happy coincidence — my colleague’s friend was creating a startup and needed someone experienced in administrative work. I decided to accept the challenge even though I didn’t know much about the tech industry. At that time, this startup was the first tech centre in Portugal and so I learned on the go! Later on, what assured me to continue my professional path in this industry was the culture I immersed myself into — a very modern and forward-looking approach to work where you could see the company’s interest and involvement in each person’s wellbeing.
What did you do before joining YLD?
I explored several career pathways, including commercial and sales. In the last few years before joining YLD, I also had the opportunity to work and acquire great skills in accounting, finance and quality system implementation.
What drew your attention to YLD?
I remember seeing a post on YLD’s Linkedin page and instantly feeling that this company’s culture would mirror my way of being: light, humble, willing to grow and learn as a team and for the team. As I was doing my research on the company, one of the things I liked the most was that YLD was a very ambitious, fast-growing yet relatively small company. From my previous experiences, I knew that working within a smaller team would be highly beneficial, allowing me to grow consistently and progressively. Working at YLD has been very much aligned with my expectations and I’m very grateful and proud of being part of this team.
What three words would you use to describe YLD?
Humility, team, potential.
What personal traits do you think help you succeed in your job?
I think that some of the traits that define me the most and help me succeed are my humility and continuous willingness to learn, dedication, and respect that I put into my work. Also, it’s all about being organised — there are many different tasks you need to do and several processes to keep track of so it’s very important your workflow is structured and well planned. The ability to listen and mediate are definitely some of the other traits that help me succeed in my role.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in your career?
“Life is not a linear path, growing is learning to fall and rise”. The most important thing is to follow your intuition, your values, and your passions — those will always make you move forward and beyond your limits.
What advice would you give to someone going through the same route as you?
Dedicate yourself to your goals and the work you want to produce. Working as an Office Manager, Talent Partner or Operations Assistant means that your colleagues are your main focus — you work for their satisfaction. You should thus have their wellbeing in mind, although it doesn’t mean you should disregard yours; make sure you value yourself and celebrate your own achievements too.
What in your field of work (or in the tech industry in general) are you excited about at the moment?
The tech industry is the future, it’s full of chances and opportunities to create an ever brighter future. I believe cultural diffusion is a very important element to the industry, not only regarding our position in the market but also when it comes to social responsibility. In my perspective, YLD should continue to work for the community, where we offer a safe space for everyone. I’m also very excited to implement some of the great initiatives we at the People & Operations team have in mind — there is so much we can still do for the community and I can’t wait to put it into practice!
What inspires you or keeps you motivated?
Personally, I always need to feel I have a purpose and that I can be helpful to other people — it’s thus very important that my colleagues can trust and rely on me as a team member. I feel greatly inspired when I see a positive outcome of my work. Personal development and progression within the company is likewise something very motivating. During this year I have been taking on more responsibilities and it definitely inspires me to grow and deliver greater results. Human Resources is an area I have always wanted to explore and with time I’m very motivated to get the hang of it as well.
What are you looking forward to in the future with YLD?
I aspire to evolve with the company and contribute to its success and growth. There is always a lot we can do: new projects to implement, current processes to improve, among many other exciting things. Great motivation comes from the willingness to learn, challenging old habits, questioning your processes, and looking at things from different angles — and that is definitely the case for YLD.
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If you want to join Liliana and become part of our team take a look at our open positions here. If you don’t see the role you are after do still get in touch at talent@yld.io
