Riikka Eskola. Designer. Started as a trainee in 2021.
One of the best parts of my job is understanding end users and working closely with them to build digital products that truly serve their needs. The collaborative aspect of product development is what keeps me engaged and excited every day. And, of course, there’s also the daily challenge (and fun!) of decoding developers’ "Elvish language."
If I could give advice to my younger self, or even to my current self, it would be this: You are already valuable, and you don’t need to rush.
It might feel like everyone around you is more experienced and knowledgeable, but they’re simply at a different stage of their own journey. You are exactly where you need to be right now. Be grateful for this moment, acknowledge your strengths, and know that you can grow in any direction you choose.
The kind of “let’s go, you’ve got this attitude”- attitude is something I hold very dear about my fellow Reaktorians. When I’ve been bold enough to share my hopes or dreams with them, they’ve supported me – given me a thumbs up, and cheered me along.
A great example of this came from my interest in hosting our monthly company-wide meetings. I love public speaking, and the idea of being a host intrigued me, but I wasn’t sure how to get involved.
Then, one day, I had a conversation with our content strategist, who writes the scripts for these meetings. I shyly mentioned, "If you ever need a host, I’d be interested." That small comment led to an invitation to help plan the next meeting, and before I knew it, I was hosting multiple monthly meetings!
This experience reaffirmed something important: opportunities can come from simply expressing your interest and putting yourself out there.
Sometimes, all it takes is a small step, a simple question, or a quiet offer of help to open doors you didn’t even realize were within reach.
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