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Last fall, Cogito announced our plans for a truly Office Optional workplace, one where Cogicians are empowered to make choices about where they work – whether in a physical Cogito office or not.
In this edition of ‘The Anywhere Office,’ we want to introduce Javier Dominguez, Information Security Engineer. Javier joined Cogito in January of 2021 and works to ensure the security and privacy of Cogito customers and employees are upheld. He works remotely from his home office in the Greater Chicago area.
Tell us a bit about what you do for Cogito
I’m on the information security team – responsible for the security and privacy of our customers and employees. Our team manages numerous products and processes ranging from Vulnerability Management, Application Security, tools that support our Cloud Infrastructure and more – always providing something new and challenging to execute on. Across the company, I work with various product managers, external vendors and delivery teams to understand where our data exists across the infrastructure and which security controls need to be implemented.
What is one thing that surprised you about working remotely when the COVID-19 pandemic began?
We tend to work longer hours than we would in an office setting, so it’s easier to get burnt out. During my lunch break, I’ve been working out, which offers an excellent way to break up the day and spend much-needed time away from the computer. Besides that, I take small breaks as needed throughout my day to walk my dog or simply stretch for 5-10 minutes.
What are you most excited about as we move to an ‘office optional’ workforce?
A couple of things come to mind here – we no longer have to worry about a daily commute or traffic. Instead, we get that extra time back to catch up on work or complete random errands. I’m also excited for the opportunity to travel more or even relocate without having work be a constraint. Cogito is very supportive of their employees and remote work. It’s nice to know that I can bring work with me if I ever want to do some traveling.
Where is your ‘home office’? Anything fun about your setup?
I live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I luckily bought a standing desk a couple of months before the pandemic initially started because I was in graduate school during that time and spent too much time sitting down. I usually have it raised when I’m checking emails, after lunch, during meetings or when I have to work late. I highly recommend everyone getting one. Aside from that, I don’t like anything on my desk besides my mouse, keyboard and water. I feel like I can’t concentrate on what I’m working on when I have a messy desk.
From a personal perspective, what is the biggest perk to working remotely?
The biggest work perk would have to be spending more time with family and doing little things that I’ve always told myself, “I’ll do it later.” With so many COVID-19 restrictions still going on and many individuals working remotely, we have newfound time in our hands. There are really no excuses, so it’s important to stay disciplined with all of our extra time.
What old or new hobbies are you spending more time on lately?
We’ve been spending a lot of time in our backyard, and we’re getting ready to redo our entire backyard and deck. We’ll also be putting up a new fence so our dog doesn’t run away when let out in the backyard. We’re definitely excited!
Interested in joining our anywhere office? See our open roles here.