For those who have always been wondering what would it be like to take a plunge on your dreams...
Even if you have a fleeting thought, perhaps a desire stirring within when you see an inspiration, don't be so quick to shove it aside. Sometimes, you need to dare to dwell on it, and let it become a dream.
Last Thursday was a milestone for me. I never expected that a simple desire to bring together a group of like-minded professionals, orchestrate events that would bring about industry value that's of relevance to individuals, would land a microphone in my hand. That I would find myself in front of a huge crowd of people, as an emcee, and even a panel moderator.
Yes, as the experience is so new, mistakes would be made. But I came to realise this; you are your worst critic. When you stop criticising yourself so harshly, you're able to really enjoy the journey. Laugh at yourself! And look forward to the next one. Honestly, no one really cares. When you stop expecting perfection, but embracing the learning process, and enjoying the moment, you start becoming more daring. And before you know it, you find yourself in a moment that might have been your forgotten dreams all those years ago.
Following that, I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call last week and was invited for an interview with Wayne Bucklar, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio contributor and technology commentator. Now, I have interviewed thousands of people in my career but it was such a refreshing, and definitely an interesting experience to be on the other end.
I took the interview without really knowing what to expect, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Somehow, I found myself thinking of all those young people that I have mentored as part of my voluntary work. If you are one of those who have been fighting against the:
stereotypes
a cultural expectation that has been ingrained in you
let's be real, fighting against yourself and who you are...
I would just like to encourage you with this, only you can your best you.
In my journey of finding my voice, being unabashed of speaking out, and being uniquely me, I will continue to endeavor to be a thought leader in this industry, so watch this space!
You can find the rest of the interview on diversity and ways the Cyber community can get more involved here. There's also another segment focusing more on the hiring trends in the IT and Cyber industry.
About the author: Shamane Tan is a Singaporean who completed her Bachelor of Computer Engineering (Hons) in 2010. With her ability to grasp technical fundamentals and her keen interest in Cyber Risk matters, she has become renowned in the industry for her ability to connect talent to where the need is most prevalent. She is also the organiser of the largest Cyber Risk meetup group here in Sydney, Australia.