HR Director Lutsia Gorelova Reflects on What's Changed In IT Hiring Over The Past Few Decades

Tell us about yourself!

Hi! I'm Lutsia, and I work in HR in IT. I've been doing this for over 12 years now, and I've worked with some amazing companies like gamedev, dating, music-tech, and social. Now, I'm the HR director of an international company that's doing well developing cool mobile apps for social media. My job is all about making sure the company has a great HR strategy, taking care of all the employees, and helping the business grow by developing its people. My company's products are doing well (currently, only Tinder has more installs than us) and we're seeing over 6 million installs every month. I am an active mentor in various communities such as Women in Tech, Miranna.io, ADP.list, I have done more than 100 consultations and helped more than 100 people to achieve their goals in IT.

Why did you choose this field in the first place?

I've always loved studying people and watching talent grow, so it's a perfect fit for me. In HR, it's all about communication, and in the tech industry, it's a bit of a challenge because there are so many introverts who need individual attention. I've got a Master's in Human Resources Management, and I absolutely love what I do.

What tech are you most worried about right now and why?

I'm really interested in technologies that can predict how long employees will stay with a company (like prediction models for employee tenure) and assessing soft skills.

Human psychology is such a complex system, isn't it? I find the standard approaches don't always work, which makes it a constant challenge in the world of people management to assess team effectiveness.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of tech?

When I'm not doing that, I love nothing more than spending time with my family and friends, or enjoying a good book.

I'm a music lover – playing the keyboard and singing are two of my favourite pastimes. I'm also a keen outdoorsy person, and I love nothing more than a good hike! A couple of years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of mentoring, which is a really cool side activity that energises me by interacting with talented people and being useful.

Let's talk about breaking the glass ceiling. What were the biggest challenges you faced as a woman in tech, and how did you deal with them?

I started my career in the tech industry, in startups and scale-ups, so I had direct contact with founders and was lucky to avoid unpleasant situations with the glass ceiling. But I would like to see more girls among CEOs and founders of companies. I plan to launch my own project one day.

Any questionable misogynistic story/situation you faced/handled, and you want to share with the HackerNoon Fam?

When I was just starting out in my career, over 12 years ago now, I was working in talent acquisition. I remember how hiring managers would sometimes reject female candidates for developer positions just because they were girls, or because they thought programming was just not a job for women.

I remember my first driving instructor always telling me that driving was not for women, but I don't encounter this now. As a HR leader, I try to nip such stories in the bud.

What was the biggest setback/failure that you faced, and how did you manage it?

My biggest failure was my personal and professional burnout in 2019. I was deeply immersed in the topic and clearly knew the markers of this condition, but unfortunately, I was not able to prevent it in time. However, I learnt my lesson, and I am now much more attentive to my energy levels and have improved my delegating skills even more!

What's your biggest achievement that you're really proud of?

I have reached a high position just in 7 years - HR director in a fast-growing global technology company, every day I do what I love and develop not only the team, overseeing the unlocking of immense human potential, but also being involved in creating products that make a difference in this world and make life better for millions of people. I have extensive mentoring experience and have helped hundreds of people find their successful path to self-realisation in the industry. I am surrounded by amazingly smart and caring people who create beautiful things.

In your opinion, why do we see this huge gender gap in the tech industry, and how can we reduce it?

The tech industry is still pretty new, so I think there are some historical and cultural things going on that are holding it back. But I do see a lot of tech companies trying to make things better, which is great. They're putting in place these DEI policies, which is really important. I'm part of a group that supports women in IT, and I think it's a vital mission.

I would love to see more support, grants, quotas and investments for start-ups created by women.It would be great to change the media narrative and promote the idea that technology is a universal field where gender doesn't matter.

We should be creating content that's focused on engaging women and breaking stereotypes. From a company perspective and as a C-Level, it's important to implement training to overcome unconscious bias.

Who is your tech idol? Why?

I really look up to Sheryl Sandberg, ex-COO of Meta and author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.

She started the global Lean In movement, which connects women through professional networks, support circles, and educational programs. This movement helps women in IT find like-minded people, develop skills and build careers.

I really admire how she's so open about the personal struggles she's had, including the loss of her husband. It's so inspiring to see how she's managed to be so successful and still remain human and vulnerable.

Do you have any advice for aspiring girls who want to join the field?

My advice for girls starting out in HR Tech is to be tenacious in achieving results, and you'll be glad to hear that there are so many opportunities for training and projects now, including through tech communities where you can find first projects and get hands-on experience.It's also great to find a mentor who has already travelled this path and will help you overcome any obstacles and move faster in your professional development. Be open, ask for advice and share your experiences – you'll be amazed at the opportunities out there!