Navigating My Next with Infosys

Dianna Craig Dianna is an Associate IT Consultant who has completed her Masters in Information Technology from Colorado Technical University.

For many years I have had a passion for technology. I recognized early on that I wanted to pursue a job in the field. However, because of circumstances in my life I wasn’t able to go to a university to study information technology until I was in my midlife years. In 2011, I joined Colorado Technical University on a journey that turned out to be 6 years long, and I loved it. I earned a bachelor’s degree in software programming and then decided to carry over all those credits to earn a master’s degree in information technology security management. I earned both degrees with a high honors GPA of 4.0. Although I loved studying information technology, I was aware of two possible obstacles. One being that I am a woman pursuing a male dominated field, and the other being my older age. I was enjoying my classes and learning technology, but those two things worried me. I also had to consider that I have never worked in an IT job before, which could be a negative thing when I finished school and started looking for employment. I finished my master’s degree in November 2017.

During the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018, I began the arduous journey of trying to find a job in information technology. It was not easy. I just didn’t seem to be able to grab employer’s interest. I was becoming more and more frustrated and concerned feeling it might have something to do with my age and gender. I knew it wasn’t supposed to be, but I felt it none the less. The stress of that made me second guess myself and that was a terrible feeling. Little did I know then that I was about to be found and taken on a path that I now know will enhance my life.

In May 2018, I received a message on one of the employment seeking websites I was a member of from an Infosys recruiter asking to speak to me. Not expecting anything to come of it, but also out of curiosity, I sent him my phone number. It was the phone call that changed my life. The recruiter told me about Infosys and about the associate job position he was able to offer me providing I passed the entrance testing, interview and background check. That night I talked it over with my son and he told me to go for it. So I began the entrance and interview process. To my delight I passed them all. I was offered the job which I accepted without hesitation, and I relocated myself and my son from the Gulf Coast of Alabama to Indianapolis, Indiana. My Infosys journey had just begun and I embraced it with joy.

With excitement and a grateful heart, I opened the doors to the Infosys Indianapolis hub on July 16, 2018 to begin my first day of training. I was placed in the DNA (data analysis) stream training for a few weeks and assigned to stay working in the Indianapolis hub as my home base. During my Infosys training I have discovered that I have a great interest in databases, especially Oracle SQL. In the future I want to combine my database study and experience with data and information security, perhaps even becoming an ethical hacker (white hat). With Infosys I know I will be able to pursue this.

The first day I walked into the Indianapolis hub, I could sense the professionalism and friendly atmosphere. After being here for a little over 6 months, I have made some friends at work and the hub itself is a pleasant place to work in. The Indianapolis hub provides the employees with a sense of family, yet in a professional setting. You can breathe here and work productively because of it. Infosys’ clients benefit from this. One can see and feel how the hub grows each week, and brings with it a feeling of belonging. I felt that the first day I was here. Working in the Indianapolis hub has been a positive experience and not once have I felt any discrimination in reference to my age or gender. Infosys is indeed an equal opportunity employer.

Infosys hired me out of college and has given me the chance to work in the information technology field for which I am very grateful. Infosys removed those obstacles that worried me and has provided me with a good job. I see many opportunities opening before me here at the Indianapolis hub, and I am excited to begin exploring them. As Infosys continues to give me its best I will also give Infosys mine.