How These 2 Women in Tech Found Work-Life Balance

We recently caught up with two women who are advancing their tech careers at Fannie Mae — a leading source of mortgage financing in markets across the nation. The solutions they’re developing to help Fannie Mae tackle the toughest housing industry problems require cutting-edge technology and the right talent to harness the company’s full potential. 

Rima Teymourlouei, an Associate Software Engineer working in fintech to support accounting software, recently contributed to a major overhaul of Fannie Mae’s General Ledger system. Sara Ghazzaoui, an Associate Software Engineer working in information security, supports applications across the enterprise with custom-built tools to find hidden vulnerabilities. 

Both women shared their thoughts with us about working at a company that gives them the tools to build a great tech career in an environment that supports leading a fulfilling life.

What sorts of tech do you typically use in your day-to-day work?

Rima: On my team, we use a lot of web services, finance SaaS (Software as a Service) technologies, application programming interface (API) tools, and the Workday Financials system. I have worked with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Python, as well, for other projects. I also know teams that use Java and other tools. There’s a wealth of tech resources and learning opportunities here.

Sara: I use Python, Bitbucket, GitHub, and Jenkins to help me create the custom solutions we need. A great thing about Fannie Mae is that they typically adopt new technology right away, whereas other companies tend to lag. So there are always opportunities to learn — we’re ahead of the technology game.

Have you had any accomplishments or moments that you’re particularly proud of since you started?

Rima: I’ve been working on a project to help transform our General Ledger program to help our accountants automate more to save them time. We recently went live with our first release. It’s a big accomplishment and a boost to reporting efficiency. 

Sara: As a developer, you continually face new problems and may not know which route to take. Part of the process is figuring out the solution by brainstorming with teammates. So starting a career virtually was a little overwhelming at first, but my team at Fannie Mae made it easy, and I adjusted in no time. I’ve even had the opportunities to learn Python and AWS at Fannie Mae!

How does Fannie Mae’s culture support work-life balance?

Rima: Fannie Mae provides us with the opportunities to grow and continually challenge ourselves. I really appreciate the flexibility we’re afforded to expand our career potential through exposure to new technologies, projects, and training. Our flexible work schedule helps make that possible, in addition to creating a nice work-life balance, which is important to me.

Sara: I really love the collaborative work environment at Fannie Mae; there’s always someone who can help you find the right answer to a problem. Even during my internship, the team-first aspect really stuck out to me. We’re able to share the workload, which creates a nice balance. Also, teleworking and flextime let me nurture my interests inside and outside the company. 

What gets you excited about coming to work every day?

Rima: Having all the latest tech at our disposal has made overhauling the General Ledger system a great experience. Since we use agile project management, which emphasizes the connectivity between people working on teams, there’s always lots of support from my teammates — which is especially important in a remote work environment. 

Sara: In supporting applications across the company, I get to use emerging tech to provide custom-built API tools. This is important work, to locate and remediate potential threats before they can cause harm. We ensure enterprise applications run smoothly so we can continuously support homeowners and renters across the country. Every day is a worthwhile challenge with new opportunities and avenues to explore. I’m thankful to have the flexibility — and support — to choose my path forward.

Sara, Rima, and hundreds of other technologists at Fannie Mae are building innovative solutions that help the company run more efficiently and work toward its mission. They’re empowered to do great work in an environment that allows for ongoing learning, constant collaboration, and the flexibility to make each day their own. 

If you’re looking for a new opportunity where you can flex your existing skills and gain experience with new technologies through exposure to interesting projects, check out Fannie Mae. 

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Fannie Mae. Find a job there today!