Rine Larsen Hoem
Rine Larsen Hoem, Director, Digital
Rine is a director in division Digital at Metier OEC working as a consultant. Currently she is an assistant programme manager for a large digital initiative in the public sector. The goal being to ensure safeguarding of digital security, collaboration and efficiency.
Starting out as a software developer, Rine completed he bachelor’s degree in IT in 2002 and got a job as an “all-round” IT-person in a small company. In 2005 she started a new job in a large consultant company before joining what was then Metier in 2012. Most of her consultant engagements have been in the public sector. She
QWhy is this kind of work important? And what does it mean to you personally?
Big initiatives in the public sector have a huge impact on Norwegian society at large, and therefore it is crucial that we make sure they have the best outcomes possible. This is a huge motivation for me in my work. Being able to use my knowledge and skills in a way that makes things easier and more efficient for the users of public services is wonderful. For me personally, it means that my day-to-day work contributes positively to the development of our society.
Quick Q&A
What job did you want when you were growing up?
As a kid I wanted to become a vet, but as a teenager I got more and more interested in computers and IT.
Outside of work, what do you do in your spare time?
I have kids, so they take up a lot of my time. I also like to travel, read, do crossword puzzles. My family has a house in Croatia that I love to travel to. London is also a favorite destination. We also have a family cabin in the mountains that I really enjoy staying at. That’s a typical Norwegian activity which helps me relax and enjoy time with my family.
QWhat are some of your career highlights?
My definite highlight so far was when the project Autosys kjøretøy (The Norwegian Public Roads Administration) fulfilled its main goal in March 2020. The project had been stopped several times since starting up in the early 2000s because of occurring cost overruns. In 2014 our team was engaged to assist with re-planning the rest of the project scope and passing “KS2”, or quality assessment 2. The team continued with the project after this to start initiation and later execution. We finished the project on time, within cost and with the defined scope and expected quality. This was a happy ending to a project which had a long history. One of the reasons this project had success was the use of agile with other project management frameworks, but with a strong focus on culture and making sure the agile mindset permeates at all levels.
QWhat advice would you give your younger self?
Find a job inspires you because you will spend a lot of your waking hours there. It is ok to walk away if someone makes you feel bad or you don’t get the recognition you deserve, but sometimes you also must see it through.
See every task or job as an opportunity, even if it doesn’t sound like your dream job. You will have influence on the content in a position and how you execute, and it is possible to create your own opportunities within these positions.
Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, and trust in other people’s trust in you. Take on bigger responsibilities than you might think you can handle. If you are asked to do something, it is most likely because someone has seen your potential and knows that you can grow into the responsibilities handed to you.
QWhat was the best/most useful thing you did to further your career?
I have always tried to do my very best, regardless of if I really liked the task that needed to be done. I have also changed jobs a couple of times, and even though I’ve moved to other consultant companies, they all have their own culture and way of doing things. It's useful to experience how things are done in other places before you find your “home”, or the workplace where you want to stay.
QThis year’s International Women’s Day theme is ‘Break the bias’, aiming for women’s equality and celebrating inclusivity. What is this industry getting right? (And what else could it do?)
The advantage of working in the consulting industry is that there are an incredible number of different roles to be filled in many different types of changes or innovations. There is a need for a number of different qualities depending on the tasks at hand, and a team needs different personalities, qualities and experiences to succeed with its goal. This might be a contributing factor to why there seems to be more women in our industry. However, there is a difference in proportion of women in different parts of our industries, and there’s still a predominance of women who fill more “soft” roles, and even though there is an increasing number of women in leading and technical roles, we still have a way to go here.
QWhich woman or women inspire you?
Angela Merkel is a woman I really admire. She is a strong figure and a powerful woman, and has contributed greatly in keeping Europe united over a longer period of time. We are also the same personality type according to Jungs typology!
Astrid Nøklebye Heiberg is also a woman I look up to. She was a psychiatry professor, and a prominent politician in Norway. I saw a talk she did at ODA forum for women in tech a couple of years before she died. She was an important part of the women’s movement in Norway in the 70s.
Former coach for the women’s national handball team, Marit Breivik is also a person I admire. She is an amazing leader who knows a lot about leading a team and forming good relations within it. The team was incredibly successful under her lead, and she has become a legendary figure within Norwegian handball. I draw parallels to my own field and role. We also need to form well-functioning teams.