Tell us about your journey in tech. How did you get started, and what motivated you to pursue a career in tech?
Like most budding Product Managers, I fell into tech from a career in a pharmacy dispensary for about 5 years. I was feeling like a change in my career direction and came across a role that sounded similar to pharmacy but different in day-to-day activities. Little did I realise it was a sales role, now I take my hat off to anyone in sales because I just don’t have the knack for it, story telling yep, closing the deal not so much. I attended a recruitment day from the company I had applied with and came away thinking it was a great experience but if I was offered the role it would not be for me. Getting a call from the recruiter I answered the phone call and he said to me, the company are not going to offer you the role but they want you to come in for a second interview for an associate product manager. Being naturally curious I thought, what I have got to lose and went to the interview, this role sounded much more up my street and I was really hoping I would get offered the job! Low and behold I got offered the role and started my journey in tech, all new to me and a whole new role to learn. Taking that chance led me to the best opportunity which has catapulted my career in tech and made me fall in love with product management. I am now super passionate about solving customer problems and delivering loveable products to the end users.
Have you had any mentors who significantly influenced your career? How did they support your growth?
When I joined my second tech company, I had a manager who was really present to help with my onboarding and understanding of the company. It really helped that she was a women in a leadership position, in mostly a male dominated environment and I could see what was possible for my future. My manager at this time made time for conversations about my 3-5 plan for my career and what steps she could help with or get me on courses or involved in areas of the company to help me develop. Having this open relationship fostered by honesty, which is super important, especially when wanting feedback, really help me grow my career and skill set.
How do you actively network within the tech community? Any tips for others seeking to build meaningful professional relationships?
I try and attend local event run by originations like mind the product’s product tank, digital gurus tech events, conferences that support women in tech and that offer good networking opportunities. It is sometimes really hard to find time for these events but I try and make an internal deal with myself to attend at least one a quarter. My tips for anyone looking to attend more events or build relationships is to set yourself a target of a minimum number events to attend over a time period and from that event to have an idea of coming away with at least three new connections from the community and having an understanding of what those connections do.
“Never give up, build resilience in as one of your core skill sets. Understand that at times you will experience setbacks, but it is in these moments that we learn and grow the most.”
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in tech, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was deciding to switch my career from the first role I had in tech, this was because I felt like I owed the company my loyalty and they had given me so much in terms of learning and development. The product director had come in as a new role and really shifted the vision of the product and the structure of the teams in a positive way. I just needed a change as I felt overloaded with the amount of work I had to do and towards the end of my role I wasn’t getting as much support as I needed. I had to find the courage to open myself up to new roles in a male dominated industry and have the confidence I was good enough for them. It took me learning to trust myself and have a little faith in my ability to then move on to a new role
As a woman in tech, what changes or improvements would you like to see in the industry?
I want to see more women in leadership roles for the industry and it advertised more their achievements. Hearing from these women in the roles can be so inspiring for women coming into tech and see what the possibilities are for their futures.
How can companies and leaders foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in tech?
Equal opportunities and equal pay is a huge part of fostering an inclusive and supportive environment. Also recognising that women do have different health needs that can require different support form the organisation and showing women that they are not siloed because of some of these issues.
What strategies have you used to set clear career goals and create a roadmap for your professional development?
SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) objective setting is a framework I have followed to try and ser clear career goals. I personally started with a short term view of what I wanted to achieve within 3 months of my career and then the next 3 months and so on. This helped me be clear about what I wanted and remain focused without feeling overwhelmed. Now I focus on the next year of goals and where I want to be in my career, I also have recently started setting out my ideal position for the next 5 years, who I want to be, where I want to be at, my ideal role, my ideal organisation – it is always best to be ambitious and you will achieve greatness.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for women striving to succeed in the tech industry?
My first piece of advice for women striving to success in the tech industry would be to never give up, build resilience in as one of your core skill sets. Understand that at times you will experience setbacks, but it is in these moments that we learn and grow the most.
Secondly, I would say put yourself forward for tasks, roles, challenges, and problem-solving activities that can show people what you are capable of and how valuable you are as a member of the team or company. Show that you can bring a unique perspective and have a hunger to learn and grown.
Finally, I would say make to time for personal development, whether that is related to the role you are in or building your personal brand. Keep focusing on the skill set you want in your armoury and actively seek ways to improve or ask people within your company or network how they can help you achieve your goals.
