Tell us about your journey in tech. How did you get started, and what motivated you to pursue a career in tech?
A career in Tech was never something I ever thought I would pursue! I finished a degree in Fine Art as it was something I enjoyed rather than something I would get a career out of. However towards the end of the degree, I was building a website (which I probably spent far too much time on it than was needed!) for the final year exhibition show and my partner at the time pointed out I could look into web development. Until then it hadn’t really occurred to me that I could pursue a career in Technology, let alone go on to become Head of Engineering for a start-up! Once I’d got my first developer role – all I wanted to do was to prove to everyone that I could do it. So I did!
Have you had any mentors who significantly influenced your career? How did they support your growth?
I don’t think I would be where I am now if it wasn’t for my Team Leader in my first tech role. Although not specifically a mentor he really helped me believe in myself and helped me learn what I needed to go on and become a great developer. One thing he said that has always stuck with me (and that I try to follow myself as a team lead or manager): ‘It’s my job to open doors for you’
How do you actively network within the tech community? Any tips for others seeking to build meaningful professional relationships?
Go to as many conferences and talks (online or in-person) as possible! Get yourself out there and meet people – I know that sometimes means getting out of your comfort zone but it’s definitely worth it. I find in-person events best as even if you don’t actually talk to anyone you can just listen to discussions. Also there are so many fantastic networking groups on LinkedIn these days – even if you lurk in the background, they can be a great place to find people you can relate to who share a similar story to your own.
“Ask questions and challenge everything! Especially if you don’t understand something.”
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in tech, and how did you overcome them?
I think one of the my main challenges coming from a non-technical background was when people went full ‘tech-mode’ and started talking about concepts I hadn’t learnt yet. It would have been very easy to nod along and pretend I understood but that wouldn’t have got me particularly far. I learned early on to challenge everything and ask lots of questions – if you don’t understand something then ask! I always felt like I should know everything from day one and be the absolute equal to my male colleagues when in reality that’s not the case. Challenge everything!
Who are some other women in tech that you admire or have inspired you, and why?
Every woman in tech is an inspiration to me. Whether just starting out and looking for that first role or becoming directors and CTO’s of large scale companies. We are all proof that women are just as capable of being in a technical role as anyone else and it’s always inspiring seeing people’s success stories and how they’ve overcome struggles in pursuit of their career.
As a woman in tech, what changes or improvements would you like to see in the industry?
There has been some great headway over the last few years to improve workplace culture but I think more could be done. Allowing true flexible working for women with childcare responsibilities – the pandemic proved that people could work from home effectively so when I see companies enforcing a ‘back to the office’ policy I really have to question why.
Also it would be great to see more support at work for women heading in to menopause. It can be a really challenging time for women especially when you’re starting to doubt your own sanity! Having that additional support can really help with encouraging women to stay in the tech industry past the age of 35.
How can companies and leaders foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for women in tech?
There are two initiatives I’ve seen that work really well. The first one is having a culture of candour – this is about psychological safety at work where no idea is a stupid idea and there is no blame culture. It strips back that fear of making mistakes and enables people to grow without fear of reprisal. It’s also about calling out unwanted behaviour in the workplace and feeling safe to do so. This is something you can implement as a person and as a company – being open and honest.
The second is to offer mentoring, or a simple buddy system when you first start a new role. Having a ‘buddy’ can be incredibly useful when you are first starting out – it gives you someone you know you can speak to from day one, someone that’s got your back and can answer all those small questions that you might not want to ask the whole team.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for women striving to succeed in the tech industry?
