Women in tech: an interview with Noha Ibrahim

In her final year of university, Noha found her passion for UX design. It was the start of an exciting journey which led to her becoming a product designer. Along the way, she learned that having a great mentor can make all the difference so she now works hard to give other people the same positive experience she had.

Carina: What sparked your interest in studying computer science?

Noha: I didn't actually choose this path. In Egypt, our high school grades determine where we go. I wanted to be an architect, but my high school grades weren’t enough so option number two was to go to computer science. I had no idea about computer science so in the summer break, right after high school, I spent some time digging. Learning more about it and how it works was really interesting for me. I was determined that I would spend the four years of college exploring everything – and that's what I did! I learned everything about computer science – I got into many fields like networking, coding, animation, graphic design, and more. I found my passion in UX and UI.

Carina: Do you think you went in that direction because you wanted to be an architect so you already had a design mindset?

Noha: Absolutely, yes. It was the best choice!

UI/UX designers work to ensure that digital products are visually appealing, easy to use, and provide a seamless and enjoyable experience for the end user. UI design focuses on the visual elements and layout of an interface, while UX design focuses on the usability and accessibility of the experience.

Carina: So, tell me about your first experience as a UI/UX designer, what did you like about it and what were the challenges?

Noha: When I got to the UX field, I was in my third year in college and I spent the whole year learning. In my final year, right after I graduated, I got my very first job as an assistant to a UX designer. I was given these small tasks – edit this and learn about that – it was really great for me and the people were so nice. They treated me very well and they were also so patient because I was a graduate and I didn't know anything.

But it was really challenging too because I’d work for eight hours then get home and spend four to five hours studying what I’d learned that day and figuring out how to make myself better. It was really challenging and tiring for me, but it paid off in the end.

Carina: If you were to speak to Noha from back then, would you encourage her to take these steps?

Noha: Yes, absolutely. And I would advise her to be more patient and to accept criticism because it's really important in this field.

Carina: That's good advice! So, how did you become a product designer?

Noha: When you're the smartest person in the room, you need to leave the room. So I left my first company and I joined my second one. It was really interesting for me because I heard a lot about the business, the business plans and plans for the product because it was a product-based company, not a software house. So, I went to my manager and I asked him if I could attend the business calls, just to shadow what's happening and observe.

One thing led to another and I found myself learning more and more. He gave me tutorials on how to be a product designer and he followed up with me every two or three weeks to see my progress. I owe him so much for what he did for me, it was the best thing to happen to me. I can't imagine if I’d stayed as a UX designer, I would have missed a lot.

Carina: Have you had the opportunity to mentor juniors yourself?

Noha: Absolutely. I'm actually on the ADPList right now which is a platform for mentoring designers. I've been there for more than two years. I wanted to give people the experience I'd had and I wanted to help them avoid the mistakes that I made in the past. Before joining that company and meeting this mentor, I was very lost. I didn't have someone to guide me because I'm a solo learner. So, I wanted to pass my knowledge to others and I promised to be the mentor that I needed when I was young.

Carina: That’s very inspiring. Can you tell me about your first interaction with the Carbon team?

Noha: I will always remember the very first call I had with Erika. The way she wrote the email about Carbon, I thought it was just an HR message, but then when I had the call with Erika, she was the sweetest thing.

When you enter a new company, you feel a bit nervous for the very first call and the interview, but I didn't feel that at all. I felt like I had known her for so long and she made it really easy for me. She guided me through everything, step-by-step. I really loved it. Right after I finished the call with her, I said to myself that I hope I can work at this place because the HR representatives show how the company is – it's the first impression of the company. So, if the HR is nice and sweet and helpful, that’s my big green flag to move forward.

Carina: I'm happy that you had a great experience. What’s it like to have a talent partner when you're looking for new projects?

Noha: Actually, I didn't feel the importance of this until I joined Carbon because I knew I had the skills and I'm a good designer. But now I see that I need someone to represent me, someone to point out that here you can find Noha and she's a great designer. It's really important and it's actually number one for anyone in the tech industry or outside it to have someone be your voice. Just to point out that someone is here, someone is good and they can do the work. So I'm really lucky that I found Carbon.

Carina: We're lucky that we found you and we have this lovely collaboration. Tell me about sennder, how was it to work there?

Noha: I said this to my manager and I’ll say it again, working with sennder was the best part of my journey as a product designer so far because they’re really great and they have great potential. Everyone helps everyone and it's okay to make mistakes – we just need to learn from them. So, it was the best.

Carina: Noha, is there anything you’d like to share with the women in our network who want to pursue this type of career?

Noha: I would say keep going, don't lose hope and keep learning. Keep learning from your mistakes, it's okay to make mistakes. Find a mentor to guide you. If you can’t, just text me and I’ll take care of it.

Carbon is the go-to staffing specialist for Eastern European and North African technical talent. Trusted by the biggest names in technology and venture capital, Carbon’s hyperlocal expertise makes entering new talent markets for value-seeking global companies possible.

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