Channel Post speaks with Gunika Khurana, Senior Marketing Executive at eHosting DataFort about her reasons for choosing IT as a career option and the way forward for her.
Tell us about your leadership style and philosophy.
Responsibility, Ownership, Accountability and Dependability – I have lived through these from the very beginning of my career and it has guided me through thick and thin.
I strongly believe in – ‘Making a difference at work’ and I try to keep up with this very simple philosophy – adding value and uniqueness to the job; being a talent. I am a strong believer of intuition and imagination. They let you explore creativity and new thinking. If you don’t exercise creative ways, you get to nowhere sooner or later.
What made you choose IT as a career opportunity?
Promotion, branding, communications, creative design, research and content have been of keen interest to me since the very beginning. When I started my career as a marketer in 2007, technology was very limited and concepts like digital marketing, content marketing, etc. were novice. I believed that marketing and technology went hand in hand and started to read a lot about trends in IT. This inclined me towards IT and I went on to make a career as a Marketer in IT.
How has your unique background prepared you for success in the industry?
I started writing very early in life – on everything – food, health, fashion, technology, etc. I strongly believe in – The more you practice a skill, the better you hone it. Ten years ago, marketing was very different from what it is now and the use of technology in marketing was limited. Digital and content marketing only started to gain importance lately and now ‘content is king’. I attribute my early meeting with content as a huge impact in my career.
What was your most interesting job?
Moving to the UAE and working with eHosting DataFort has been very fulfilling. It is very satisfying to work in an environment which is dynamic and presents you with new opportunities to constantly grow and learn.
What advice would you give to women looking to break into the field of computer technology?
Know your subject. You must make an effort to constantly keep learning as much about the industry as possible and accept change. What you currently know can only be boosted with what you learn. Be very curious and become a catalyst for change.
What is the greatest transformation in technology you’ve witnessed in your career?
Content has always been my forte. What is really exciting for me is the transformation in the way we are able to communicate to our audiences today. The rise of Digital Marketing avenues such as social media, marketing automation tools, etc. bring in so much creativity which plays a very important role in the way I like to work. And, the fact that communication can be now analyzed gives us stronger control over our marketing efforts, thereby creating more effective campaigns.
What are your thoughts on the next transformation in the tech industry?
I can see a definite shift towards the importance of cyber security in every aspect of IT. Even within my company, we have made significant inroads in this field and have recently launched a Cyber Defense Centre, along with strengthening our existing portfolio of Managed Security Services. eHosting DataFort has always been at the forefront of technology transformations in the region, and I am very excited about the impact this will have on the market.
Are you involved in any sort of volunteer work? Can you give us some details?
I am part of a small group here which contributes towards welfare of the needy. We regularly organize camps to provide them with food and clothes. We also sponsor kids’ education and financially support marriages for the less-privileged.
What’s next for you in terms of your career in the tech industry?
I can foresee a very interesting few years and this is in line with the very strong roadmap eHosting DataFort has for the coming years. By constantly evolving in my current role as a marketer and contributing towards company goals, I see myself growing considerably in the tech industry.
