Challenging, Motivating and Fun: A Career at King Through Laia’s Eyes

- Kingster Career Story Featured Challenging, Motivating and Fun: A Career at King Through Laia’s Eyes Back to Kingdom News Meet Laia Navarro, an inspiring Engineering Manager at the helm of a 16-person team in the Barcelona Kingdom. She supports all kinds of characters, from backend and frontend developers to QA specialists and UX designers. We caught up with her to find out more about her time at King, and to uncover some top tips for women looking to break into the tech industry. Laia tells us, “If there's one thing I've been certain of since joining King, it's that it's virtually impossible to get bored here.” Interested in hearing more? Thought so. Read on… Careers at King are pretty sweet. How have you found your time in the Kingdom so far? I started working here two years ago. I came with a lot of experience in managing development teams as I’d been a developer myself for many years. After some changes in the company, I ended up leading one of the biggest teams in our department. We’re made up of a mix of people, including client, backend and frontend developers, QA specialists, and UX designers. The beginning was a bit tough because the area we work in is big and complicated — being an Engineering Manager means you have to handle a mix of tasks: looking after the team, dealing with technical stuff, and making sure features are delivered on time. Thankfully, I joined a team that was already strong and knew a lot about our specific area. Their experience and knowledge really helped me as I was becoming a Kingster. You manage a team of winners. How do you keep your team motivated? One of the things I believe motivates us the most is the vast reach of our games. Knowing that what you do has an impact on millions of people worldwide and contributes to their entertainment and fun is very exciting. And what inspires you personally? For my part, as a manager, what motivates me the most is seeing people grow and the team evolve. When you're lucky enough — and I have been so far — to spend enough time with the same team, you can get to know them very well and see their evolution over time. Also, the way people work and interact with each other evolves with time, which is quite fascinating. If you can also help or influence in some way, the experience is even more gratifying. Finally, another thing that motivates me about King is the way the company considers and enforces the King values. At King, it's not just about what you do but how you do it, and this creates a value-based way of working that transcends all levels and makes King a unique place to work. What are you most excited about in the future of gaming and your career at King? If there's one thing I've been certain of since joining King, it's that it's virtually impossible to get bored here — there's always new challenges to take on. Especially now we’re committing to integrating artificial intelligence into how we work. Additionally, with the acquisition by Microsoft, changes are on the horizon that we'll need to adapt to. And lastly, the great challenge of making our games market favorites and keeping them at the top excites me for the future. Talking of the future, can you share any advice for women looking to carve out a successful career in gaming or technology? I would advise any woman looking to make her way in this industry to stay true to who she is. When you find yourself in an environment where you're different, it's easy to fall into the temptation of trying to fit in by imitating behaviors that you might admire or sense others admire, but which don't come naturally to you. I would suggest that you look within to find your strengths, what makes you feel good and what makes others feel good, what has enabled you to get to where you are, and then reinforce and showcase it. Because, indeed, one of the most valued aspects of leadership or female presence in male-dominated fields is the unique perspective we bring and how it can enrich teams and interactions on many levels.  So, be true to yourself and don't be swayed from your path by doubts and concerns that might arise from not always fitting in. Lastly, what three words sum up your experience at King? In my role I have found challenge, motivation, and fun. Back to Kingdom News Dont forget to share this post! Share via Twitter Share via LinkedIn Share via Facebook You may also like Blog category: Kingster Career Story Breaking Barriers in Berlin: Iulia’s Story A Senior Java Developer and a formidable female force in the world of innovation and development. Blog category: Kingster Career Story Karolina Jansson: From Dreams to a Reality! Karolina Jansson tells us how curiosity, embracing failures, and patience allowed her to find her natural home in the Kingdom. Blog category: Kingster Career Story Crafting a Crushin' Career Say Hej to Anna, Head of Technology Strategy and Operations, and continuously crushin' it.