Too Few Women In Tech Jobs

Only one-in-six tech specialists in the UK are women, only one-in-ten are IT leaders and despite significant growth in the number of women working in IT roles, female representation in the technology sector has stalled over the last ten years, research reveals.

It has been calculated that the UK economy would benefit from an extra £2.6 billion each year were there an increase the number of women working in tech to fill the prevalent IT skills shortage.

Improved communication skills, innovative ideas and boosted morale were named as the core benefits most likely to come from hiring more women in the workforce. ​The number of women employed in the digital workforce hovering around 17% in the UK for the past decade, more needs to be done to diversify the industry. 

The business world is starting to act on this fact and some of the  technology industry’s biggest companies, including Apple, Facebook, Google and Intel, have also pledged to improve the future of women in IT. 

TechRepublic writer Marcy Bayern spoke to leading female developers to find out their experience and to ask their advice in achieving a successful career:- 
 
Seven Tips for Success

1. Do not be afraid of failure

"Something that I learned at my coding boot camp, Flatiron School, was how to fail and try again," said Sadie Bennett, full-stack engineer at IBM. "It seems cliché, but in the world of tech, failure is common, from the smallest of bugs to accidentally deleting all the data from one important section in the database.

"To fail is not an if, it's when, and learning that as a woman is especially important. Studies have shown how more women tend to apologise, and when your job includes so much failure, constant apologising can lead to lack of confidence and feeling like an imposter," Bennett said.  

"I learned that failing is not just normal, it often gives better results," Bennett added. "I learned so much more from the failures about coding, about reaching out for help, and about the inner perseverance I had to find the solution on my own."  

2. Ask for specific feedback

"In my career, I have gotten the feedback that I need to work on my technical skills. This feedback was discouraging because I thought I would never be perceived as technical," said Caitlin Kaphaem, team lead and senior software engineer at Genesys.

"My kind of technical was different than the men. I didn't know all the terms for things and I didn't care about the smaller details in precise programming," Kaphaem said. "But what I did have was an ability to debug complex customer problems. I could also creatively come up with solution designs.  

"I wish I would have asked what exactly I needed to improve on technically earlier in my career," Kaphaem added. "I would have then known sooner and more specifically what to work on. That also would have given me the opportunity to communicate the uniqueness of my contributions."

3. Try to combat your imposter syndrome

"Don't fall victim to the impostor syndrome. Impostor syndrome affects 70% of all people at some point or another, and women are typically more susceptible," said Sara Faatz, senior manager of developer relations at Progress.

"In a situation where you are different or unique (i.e., one of the only women), you may experience feelings that you do not belong or you don't deserve to be there," Faatz said. "If you start to feel that way, check yourself and your feelings. Remind yourself that you are in the role you are in because you worked hard and you earned your spot."

4. Garner Support

"Have a support system in place," said Alyssa Nickow, software engineer at The Graide Network.  

"This can be an affinity group within the company, friends/family, or there are some great online communities that I have seen serve as a sounding board for how to handle issues, as well as a whisper network to get some insight into companies or offices that are less welcoming to women or other minority groups," Nickow said.  

5. Never Stop Learning

"Know your stuff," said Mary Pearce, software engineer at Braintree. "Dedicate yourself to continuous learning and don't be afraid to go for stretch goals."   

This tactic could include staying up to date on the latest programming languages, or brushing up in skills with online courses.

6. Become familiar with the full software development lifecycle

"Understand every aspect of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) so that you know exactly what other teams need from you," said Darva Satcher, engineering manager at GitLab.  

"Each organization implements the SDLC differently. Ensure that you're familiar with every aspect of how software is built in your organization and that you understand what your counterparts need to do their job successfully," Satcher said. "This will enable you to facilitate good relationships and in turn ensure that you will be a high producing developer. It takes teamwork, so invest time in your entire team."
 
7. Network

"Find other women at other companies with whom you can share ideas, thoughts, and struggles," said Jossie Haines, platform engineering director at Tile.... As you progress in your career, you'll often be the only woman in the room and feel like there's no one else who understands what you are going through, you want to have your network ready for that," Haines said.

"Make sure to network with men too," Haines added. "If you're only networking with women, you aren't networking with the largest population of people in positions of power in the tech industry." 

As the number of successful InfoTech women grows, they will likely become as ubiquitous and valued as in other once male-dominated professions like medicine andrespected for their skills, rather than excpetional for their gender.

FRG Consulting Salary Survey:     Women In Tech:      Guardian:     Tech Republic:     Image: piqsels

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