Women in Tech!
Kia Hays
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Women in Tech: What are some of your biggest challenges and how have you worked to overcome them?
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Brianna Swartz@brianna_swartz
When I first transitioned into tech, even though I had been a leader in nonprofit for a decade, I lacked confidence. Unfortunately I was also not well supported by my employer or supervisor. I learned the hard way, and even though those first two years in tech were full of turmoil, I'm grateful for having stuck through it. I learned a ton, and--once I found an organization who's values better fit with mine and that is appreciative of my value-add--, I now thrive. That's not necessarily unique to being a womxn in tech, but it is a very common experience I hear from friends, family and colleagues in tech.
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@brianna_swartz confidence is SO hard to build in a professional setting without a supportive network, I'm so glad to hear you now have that! You deserve to be confident in all spaces!
A former mentor once told me, "if it doesn't make sense to you, it doesn't make sense." That's a bold statement! And sometimes it may be true. In the tech world, there's opportunity to always be on the cutting edge and learning, while being confident in my own perspectives, experiences and insights. Another former mentor said, "perfection is the enemy of the good." These continue to be helpful for me through some challenges that may arise working in the space of tech and innovation.
I've worked with many start ups, all tech related, and have quite a bit of experience with the ebb and flow of the industry from an operational and financial point of view. I've been able to add valuable insight from a financial aspect that isn't always considered by by those with a tech heavy mindset in the very early stages. As a woman working mainly on the finance side of tech, I have often run into situations where because I don't have a tech education background (cough....and I am a woman...cough), my insight and advice has been overlooked or disregarded. I've had no choice but to sit back and watch scenarios that I've predicated or situations, to which I offered preventative advice, play out that caused a negative impact on the company's progress. Unfortunately, it had to happen to be taken seriously, which is a complete waste of time and assets. I would take a mental note and start considering whether the place was the right fit for me. Luckily, I now work for the best tech start up in the country and work for and with people who consider every employee's input as valuable and am thriving because of it!
@aubrey_zuelke I'm so glad you are in a space where you now are valued for your skills and the important role they play (without finances, we'd have nothing!)
The first challenge has been having the confidence to be myself. The second challenge has been creating open, creative environments for people to work together and be heard. New ideas don't thrive in a vacuum, but through collaboration, merging and combining with other ideas and perspectives. This requires empowering all the voices in the room (honestly, I think women are better at this). As a manager, I have to be willing to listen (something I am still working on), and not talk just for the sake of it. I am also trying to do a better job of recognizing what I don't know and ask for help when I need it.
Women in Tech is not just a phrase; it's a movement, a force to be reckoned with. From breaking barriers to shattering glass ceilings, women around the world are making their mark in the tech industry like never before. Women Self Empowerment