There isn't enough kindness in this world generally, but as a person that has to recruit is quite clearly obvious in most interviews when you are being your authentic self. As an engineer, you would often exclaim at the stereotypical management that you would hear about on the internet. As I grew into the position that you would hear stories around, and developing myself, I realised that all those are based on trying to second guess the answers that you think the interviewer would want to hear. Generally, I want to just find out about the person; approach an interview as an opportunity to show who you are, what you enjoy and what you are good at. Be open and honest with your answers and don't forget that an interview process is a two way process.

I came from a heavy scientific background, making unnatural amino acids in the lab (which are all white crystals!) to a world of colour and possibility in food development, and felt really out of my depth. The change to industry was challenging, there were targets and KPIs and OKRs and all the other acronyms! And so many people to work with, challenge, influence... I then went to a retail environment where I felt out of my depth again initially, the pace was faster, there was less thinking time and quant evidence was king. I learned more about myself and decided after a few years to challenge myself again and go to the digital world. I've had a constant thread - understanding customers, employees, users - though the context and environment has shifted every time. And that's a good thing! Don't be afraid to jump at an opportunity, you will always learn something and it will benefit you.

There are better and worse days in my job, but each of them can be considered a success when you work in a close-knit team with people who know what to do. Working in a purchasing office involves a lot of dynamics and decision-making under time pressure. In such a situation, teamwork is the key to success. I see my daily work as a quality engineer as a challenge - new experiences, new people, and unusual problems. There are days when achieving new goals is easy, but there are also moments when every step is bought with a lot of effort. My most important advice for 'beginners': Work with people you can rely on. Set yourself goals that you are capable of achieving. Build good relationships with suppliers.