Mon, 03 Mar 2025 15:22:06 +0000
We can no longer say that the jobs will stay the same 10 years from now, so we need to constantly re-evaluate our options based on reality and what is available out there.
About me
I am Krittika Varmann. I am a Senior Cloud and AI Developer for F-Secure. I am an engineer at heart, drawn to solving problems simply for the joy of the process -sometimes, the journey matters more to me than the destination.
I have always been eager to see my work have a real-world impact, and I strongly believe in maintaining a balance between work, health, hobbies, and relationships. These values have significantly shaped my career path and life choices. Instead of pursuing theoretical research or academia, I gravitated toward industrial innovations, applying AI to solve real-life challenges.
Beyond engineering and AI, I am endlessly fascinated by human behaviour and technology. Whether it is cognitive biases, effective communications, or the art of persuasion, I love exploring how psychology intersects everyday life and business. You will often find me immersed in books on these topics. In my free time, I enjoy playing board games with friends, going to the sauna, winter swimming, and baking.
On my path to F-Secure
I have seven years of experience in data, cloud & AI, with a career shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and a motivation to stay ahead of industry trends.
My journey began as a researcher and project coordinator at the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu. From there, I transitioned to Kone, where I worked as a data scientist before shifting into data engineering. I made this transition for two key reasons. First, I wanted to develop hands-on skills by working across the entire data pipeline -from start to finish- so I could build and manage solutions independently. Second, I saw data engineering to future-proof my career, keeping myself highly employable and aligned with in-demand roles.
After four years at Kone, I moved to Sanoma, where I worked as a cloud engineer for about a year and a half. Then, four months ago, I transitioned to F-Secure, a move driven by careful deduction, prioritization, and a clear vision of what I want from my career and life.
The main reason for me joining F-Secure was the cybersecurity domain of the company. As technology evolves and data becomes even more valuable, security threats are increasing. Cybersecurity, in my opinion, will only grow in importance in the coming years.
F-Secure is an incredible place to work, and what I appreciate most is that the product itself is software. The company’s core focus is on building high-quality, industry-standard code, which aligns perfectly with my values as an engineer. The role itself also allows me to bring together all the skills I have acquired through the shifts in my career: API development, cloud infrastructure, ML modelling, MLOps, testing & writing production-grade code.
The people I work with have fantastic work ethics, so I have much to feel inspired by my colleagues. And as I said, cybersecurity is such a critical domain in this world right now. I see this as an opportunity to make a real-world impact and contribute to a vital field in protecting information.
Krittika Varmann, Senior Cloud and AI Developer, F-Secure
The beginning of my studies
I have a bachelor’s in printing engineering, where I explored media, ink, paper, and printing technologies. During my studies, I completed two internships -one at a packaging company in China and another at a German startup researching electronic ink through the DAAD scholarship.
Later, I received an Erasmus Mundus scholarship for my master’s in colour science: a dual degree in optics and computer science across France, Spain, and Finland. My thesis focused on applying AI to smart lighting solutions. Upon arriving in Finland, I immediately felt at home -the direct culture and strong work-life balance resonated with me, leading me to stay.
Strategic Approach to Learning
Strategic decisions have shaped my academic and career choices. Coming from a highly competitive environment in India, I sought alternative fields where I could stand out. Instead of pursuing computer science or electronics engineering, I chose printing engineering, where competition was lower, allowing me to excel in this field and still have time to acquire other skills like studying German and Mandarin. I proactively reached out to professors worldwide, securing unique job opportunities. These experiences had a snowball effect -my internship in China and my German language strengthened my application for the DAAD scholarship which in turn positively affected my application for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship to do my master’s degree.
Maximizing Future Options
My advice for those starting is to maintain a curious mindset and keep pushing to create and expand future opportunities at every step. When you begin, you have fewer options, but you can expand opportunities for the future so that you have options to choose from.
Sometimes, I’ve seen people start with something, get stuck with it, and spend many years doing it. I’ve seen people staying in the same work for 20 years, and that’s not necessarily bad for somebody who wants that. But for me, that narrows down my options.
I believe in maximizing future opportunities rather than getting confined to a single domain. This philosophy aligns with Morgan Housel’s powerful definition of wealth from ‘The Psychology of Money’: ‘Wealth is having the freedom to do what you want, when you want, with whom you want, for as long as you want.’ I strive to maximize this kind of freedom in my career. Many people stay in one job for decades, which works for some, but I prefer versatility. If I ever wake up feeling unfulfilled, I want the flexibility to switch paths. Without the foundational work I put in early on, making transitions would have felt overwhelming. However, transitions have become much smoother and more natural for me because I developed the habit of adapting and exploring different domains from the start.
We can no longer say that the jobs will stay the same 10 years from now, so we need to constantly re-evaluate our options based on reality and what is actually available out there. We must be ready to jump to things and do things that don’t make us feel comfortable. If we want to thrive in this fast-changing environment, we must keep adapting and pushing ourselves to take on new challenges.
In a world where technology evolves rapidly and jobs become obsolete, adaptability is crucial. You can either stay in your comfort zone and risk stagnation or embrace change and continuously challenge yourself. Both come with struggles, and choosing the struggle that aligns with your long-term goals is key.
Networking tips from Krittika
Value Networking in Tech Brings
The tech industry is quite tightly knit, especially in Finland, where the community is small. After a while, you’ll find everybody knows everybody. It’s not uncommon to hear a Finn say, “Oh, I know him from back in the Nokia days!”
This, along with the concept of Nordic Trust, meaning there is a great deal of trust in recommendations, business operations, and general dealings in Nordic communities, can significantly influence your career prospects.
As a personal example, after finishing my third semester studying in Finland, I had the opportunity to pursue my master’s thesis anywhere in the world, but by then, I had already decided to stay in Finland and opted for an industrial Master Thesis rather than an academic one. I did it with a Finnish innovation company, and later, when I applied for a position at Kone, my former manager saw my supervisor’s name and said, “Oh, I know him from Nokia times. Mind if I give him a call?” My supervisor gave me a stellar recommendation, and I was hired.
Preparing for Networking
I usually research the person and find something in their bio/LinkedIn/resume/publications/websites that could serve as good common ground. I use that to start a conversation, e.g., “Oh, I noticed you worked on satellites at XYZ company. That seemed interesting to me. I also worked on satellites during my astronomy lessons. I was wondering how you solved ABC using XYZ technology?” Then I find a way to segue into something else.
Finding Offline Networking Opportunities
For tech-related networking, I usually attend AWS Meetup groups and other similar events like Confluence-led meetups or Terraform meetups.
I’ve also gained many networking benefits by attending the AWS Stockholm Summit, where I met AWS experts in the Nordics while improving my knowledge base on cloud technologies.
There are also opportunities to participate in hackathons like Junction, hosted by Aalto University along with other companies. It’s a great way to get noticed by companies.
A huge source of networking for me has been being part of the Finland Young Professional group. Unfortunately, the only way to join is by working for a company that is part of the network, but the good news is that many tech companies in Finland are already members. FYP frequently hosts events like the Hiimos ski break and the Tallinn trip, where group activities turn professional contacts into close friends.
I would suggest finding events where you can showcase your projects and talk about what you have learned and how they can benefit real-life problem-solving.
Podcasts, blogs, and online content shared on social media are also great directions.
Maintaining & Nurturing Professional Networks
The most important thing when you meet someone is to add them on LinkedIn. This opens many channels as your network grows, and someone who knows someone can often help you out when in need.
I’m active in the LinkedIn community, and when a contact posts updates, I often react and comment with encouraging words. This helps keep the connection fresh and reinforces the acquaintance.
I’ve changed companies a couple of times but made sure to keep in touch with former colleagues. Every few months, I suggest going out for dinner, which has kept those bonds alive.
Being genuinely curious about people, adding them on LinkedIn, following up after networking events, and being proactive in organizing or attending tech events, even if you don’t know anyone there, is a great way to get out of your comfort zone.
Networking Mistakes
A few mistakes one could make in networking include: being overly self-promotional, being too aggressive (pushing for referrals or jobs), not expanding beyond your comfort zones, and the biggest one: not preparing for networking events. Showing up without knowing who will be there and having some conversation starters ready can lead to missed opportunities.
Best Advice That Helped Advance My Career
The best advice would be: In life, you get exactly what you ask for. If you don’t know what you want, how to formulate it, or how to ask for it, it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever get it. I’ve never shied away from asking for more, and even one proactive action can lead to ripple effects for the future.
For example, I was a highly inexperienced bachelor’s student in my home country and somehow managed to get into a printing press as a summer intern. There was a visiting technician from the UK who was fixing a packaging machine, and I stood next to him every day, observing and taking notes on what he did. He noticed my curiosity, and when I asked him if he knew of any internship opportunities abroad, he immediately gave me a contact in China. At just 20 years old, I got to do an internship abroad in a production facility, which helped my Master’s applications in Europe. I often think back to that day fondly. If I had never asked for that opportunity, I might not have ended up in Finland.
Gaining More Confidence
I recommend reading How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. The book talks about several tips for improving communication, such as showing curiosity about other people’s lives, remembering people’s names, and listening actively.
Another book worth reading, especially for introverts, is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson. It talks about many mechanisms for navigating life better. A relevant tip is The Spotlight Effect, which, from psychology, means that when we are in public, we tend to think everyone is looking at us. The paradox is that, since everybody thinks this way, they are more aware of themselves than of you. It’s more likely you remember making a fool of yourself than they do. You can use this information to your advantage because it frees you from the fear of making mistakes and helps you stop taking yourself so seriously.
Finally, the last thing I want to say is that, as a proponent of gender-balanced opportunities, research shows that women have been raised not to fail, whereas men have been raised with more freedom to make mistakes. I use this information to inspire myself because a man wouldn’t hesitate to approach a stranger and start a conversation, possibly making mistakes in his career. But women tend to overthink and underdo, which prevents them from even getting those opportunities in the first place. In my opinion, it’s far better to get an opportunity and make a mistake than to try to be perfect and never take any chances at all.
Amplifying Your Voice as a Woman in Tech
Two pieces of advice that stuck with me from Pia Nilsson, Director of Engineering at Spotify, during the Stockholm Summit:
1. If you, as a woman, are doing a lot of glue jobs like organizing social events that contribute positively to the workplace atmosphere, make sure your upper management is aware of that and your role in it. Also, try to set up a rotation cycle so you’re not stuck doing it all by yourself.
2. If, after 4 years of being an engineer, you’re asked to become lead, imagine a few years down the line when you try to lead a team of engineers with 10-14 years of experience. You’ll have no clout to lead them, and you’ll become a default “people leader.”
Also, I believe in the mantra Let action speak louder than words. Go get that certification, go make mistakes, go learn from them, and use facts and reason when discussing problems with colleagues. When you make good points, it’s hard to negate them.
The Constantly Evolving Tech Industry
The best thing (and sometimes the worst) about the tech industry is that it’s constantly evolving. This means a person can have 10 years’ experience coding in Java and still not get a job in software engineering because they don’t know Python or have no experience with other coding languages.
Most tech people are self-taught, and being in tech is largely about being willing to fail, pick yourself up, and start again the next day. Not to undermine seniority, but if there’s any industry where fast learning skills often overtake experience, it’s tech.
There are many stories of young tech startup founders becoming big shots overnight because they dared to dream and take actions, even without experience. Everybody starts somewhere, and it’s never too late to start.
In general, my motto in life is not to compare myself to others but to simply remember we are all on our own journeys and paths.
It’s also about an abundance mindset: There are enough resources and opportunities out there for each of us. There’s no need to compete. All you need is one spot, one opportunity, one person to believe in you. If someone has more experience, it means they’ve put in their time and effort to get there, and if you want to be like them, you must be willing to put in the work and fail just as they have. Let that inspire you rather than demotivate you.
Also, remember you bring unique skills and talents to the table, so there’s no need to be anyone else. Make it your own.
The post Role model blog: Krittika Varmann, F-Secure first appeared on Women in Tech Finland.
Recommended Comments