How Emily found her place in an unexpected field

How Emily found her place in an unexpected field

Even before working with different teams, Emily’s curiosity about cybersecurity had already been sparked. During the first month of the traineeship, department heads explained what their work involved. Cybersecurity was one of the topics covered. “After that presentation, I thought: wow, this is really interesting,” Emily says. “It was something I had never considered as a possible career path before.”

That excitement did not mean she immediately knew what her future would look like. The traineeship at ABN AMRO gave her the opportunity to explore different teams. During her rotation with the cybersecurity department, she was able to find out whether the work appealed to her as much as that first presentation had suggested. It did. She found the subject matter engaging, enjoyed the collaborative environment, and ultimately received an offer to stay. 

Different sector, same keen eye  

Moving from political science to cybersecurity may seem like a significant career shift. Yet Emily sees many connections between her academic background and her current role.

During her master’s degree in public policy, she specialized in data analysis and finance. She learned how to investigate complex issues, weigh information, and present potential solutions in a clear and accessible way. “My role within cybersecurity is not technical,” she explains. “I work in governance, which focuses mainly on writing, improving processes, and critical thinking. There’s a lot of overlap with my background.”

Today, Emily works at ABN AMRO Clearing, the division that provides clients with access to financial markets for trading. One of her responsibilities is preparing management reports that provide insight into operational cybersecurity activities. Subject matter expertise is only part of the job. Communicating information effectively is equally important. “You need to understand what information someone needs and how to present it in the best way,” she says. “I explain cybersecurity topics in a way that makes them easier for others to understand.” 

Colleagues you can count on

Before starting, Emily wondered how much support she would receive. After all, her colleagues had their own responsibilities. How much time would they really have to help a newcomer? In practice, those concerns quickly disappeared. “People collaborated much more than I expected and were very willing to help.” 

Within the cybersecurity team, she was given plenty of room to learn. Her manager and teammates answered her questions and shared their knowledge. Thanks to their guidance, she was able to grow into her role and eventually become someone others could rely on as well. That responsibility can feel daunting at times. “There have definitely been moments when I realized people were genuinely relying on me,” she says. “But when you know you can count on each other, it strengthens collaboration across the whole team.” 

There’s rarely just one right answer

One aspect of the job that surprised Emily is how many factors influence decision-making. New technologies evolve rapidly, while a financial organization must also operate carefully and comply with regulatory requirements. Take AI, for example. It is a powerful and useful technology, but it can also be exploited by malicious actors. How can an organization respond quickly enough to emerging threats? How do you align your approach with colleagues and stakeholders? And how do you remain compliant with legal and regulatory obligations? “There are so many things you need to take into account,” Emily says. “Especially at an organization like Clearing, which has a significant impact on the markets.”

A new field and a new country

Alongside her professional development, Emily also took a major personal step. During her traineeship, she moved from the United States to the Netherlands and has now been living in Amsterdam for nearly two years. While based in Chicago, she had already worked regularly with Dutch colleagues, which made the professional transition feel familiar. The move mainly brought new opportunities to meet people from around the world. “Here, I’ve met people from countries I would probably have had much less exposure to if I had stayed in the United States.”

A new country, new colleagues, and a field she had never even considered during her studies have all broadened her perspective. “It was a big transition, but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” 

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