Humans of HTB #9: Emma’s journey into community operations

Step into the vibrant world of the Humans of HTB (HoH), your behind-the-scenes glimpse into the growth of our talented team and dynamic culture!  

In this HoH series, we talk with Emma about her journey at HTB as a community operations specialist.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Hey! I’m Emma, from good old Canada. I’m a Community Operations Specialist here at Hack The Box (HTB), where I’m involved with our community, events, and Discord. 

I’ve lived in Montreal for the past few years but I am originally from New Brunswick. Outside of HTB, I’m passionate about home labbing, exploring ways to support FOSS projects, and I love to travel.

How did you get into cybersecurity?

My journey to where I am today has been…interesting. 

My first encounter with the world of cybersecurity happened in middle school when I was introduced to a program called “CyberPatriot” from the USAF. This program focuses on the blue-team side of cybersecurity and brings it to a school-aged audience through competition. 

I enjoyed it immensely and did well, eventually reaching the national competition for Canada. However, I wanted to move beyond the “checklist” approach that the competition had become, which led me to discover Hack The Box. 

I quickly fell in love with it and joined their Discord community, where I’ve been an active member ever since.

How did you start your journey at HTB?

My journey at HTB began when I joined the Discord community. At around 14, I became a volunteer Discord moderator and quickly fell in love with both HTB and its community. 

I was active and engaged with everyone. I continued in this role for two years. In January 2021, at 16, I started an internship with HTB on the community team—my first ever workplace experience.

How did you end up in your current role?

After completing my six-month internship, I was offered a full-time position. Fast forward three years, and I’m still here. At its core, I’m still doing the same community work that I fell in love with when I started, though now with more responsibilities and a broader scope.

Can you share some highlights of your work at HTB?

I’ve made some unforgettable memories during my time at HTB, like going to DEFCON and meeting so many people from our online community in person. 

What means the most to me is being the internal voice for the community, ensuring their feedback and thoughts are heard. 

I find great meaning in representing our community, and it feels like I’m making a difference every day.

Tell us about the most enjoyable part of your job!

The people, both internally and externally, are what make HTB special. Internally, everyone I work with is incredibly passionate and truly loves what they do. 

We all see the community as a core part of what defines HTB. 

Externally, it's about meeting new people every day who are at different stages of their careers and being able to make a difference for them. 

Listening to the various ways people use our product and passing that feedback along to other teams helps the product grow in line with the community’s needs. 

There’s nothing better than seeing someone who has been part of our community for a long time land their first job thanks to the skills they developed through HTB.

What are the key challenges of your work now?

People and new ideas. 

We’re always striving to keep our community happy and engaged, which requires a constant flow of fresh ideas, events, and activities. Keeping up with this demand is always a challenge. 

Another challenge is dealing with people. While the diversity of personalities is part of the fun, it can also be difficult when handling troublesome individuals.

What are your key learnings from your experience so far at HTB?

“Teamwork makes the dream work” rings true here every day. 

Everyone is incredibly talented and brings a unique set of skills to the table. 

When we combine these skills as a team within our department, it unlocks far more possibilities than working alone ever could. Always share your ideas, even the ones you think might be silly—sometimes those turn out to be the best ones.

What career advice would you give to someone interested in joining your team?

Thinking outside the box and having passion are key. We’re always looking for people who can bring fresh ideas for events and find new ways to provide a unique experience to our community. 

Passion is equally important—we take a direct approach with our community, being genuinely enthusiastic about what we do and offer, so we can truly help others. The community can always tell if you're being genuine or not 😛

You’ve been at HTB for 3+ years now. What makes it a unique place to work?

Everyone here believes in what we do and is incredibly talented in their respective fields. 

You can stop and chat with anyone from any department, have a great conversation, and come away with something new. Everyone understands the value of our community and knows that it has played a crucial role in shaping who we are today.

What advice would you give to someone interviewing at HTB?

Be yourself. After all, we're just a bunch of nerds here. Don’t worry if you don’t have a degree or a specific background; what matters is your ability to demonstrate your knowledge. 

If you don’t know the answer to a question, be honest about it—coachability is just as important as hard skills. We can help you develop technical skills, but your passion and drive to learn are what truly matter. 

For the community team specifically, get involved in our community (e.g., Discord) to get a feel for how things work. We place a strong value on those who have been an active part of our community.

Author bio: Emma Ruby (Emma), Community Operations Specialist,  Hack The Box Emma R. is a community-focused hacker serving as a Community Operations Specialist at Hack The Box. She is passionate about building and nurturing Hack The Box's global cybersecurity community, which spans over 2.9 million members. Outside of work, Emma enjoys traveling and managing large home lab projects. Want to hear more from Emma? Connect with her on LinkedIn.