At hackajob, we believe that every day should be International Women’s Day. How can we only celebrate the successes and innovations of women all over the world on one particular day when there are so many women and allies pushing the envelope?
This year’s theme was embracing equity, and there’s no better way to do this than through transparent conversation. In our webinar 'Driving the Future Of Inclusivity: Women Leading The Way in Tech', the female software engineers at LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Group, gave golden advice for future females looking to pursue a career in engineering. Ready to take notes? Here are the things they wish they knew when they started out:
Slow down, and enjoy the process...
Sophie Trerise, Senior Programme Manager at Cirium, reminded us to pace ourselves. She believes it's vital to remember that your career is a marathon, not a sprint:
‘It hasn’t all been completely smooth sailing, trying to navigate the tech industry as a young female. As a young analyst, I had no real idea in terms of how to answer the ‘where do you want to be in a year, five years, ten years time?’. I was extremely motivated and very hardworking, but I didn’t really have a plan. And at the time I thought that was to my detriment, but now looking back, I realise that is absolutely fine, that is okay.'
Don't be afraid to say YES to things!
Yes, is how you get your first job, and your next promotion and your next job. So many people believe that what they’re doing now is so different from tech that they can never make the switch. This could not be farther from the truth. Marcia Klingensmith, Solutions Consultant at LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Group, had a very unconventional career path; one that will truly inspire you.
Starting out as an art freelancer, while dabbling in translation services and web development in her spare time, she became curious when a job came up in the IT department. Marcia didn't hesitate in saying yes, and decided to go for it!
Through this, Marcia learned that to further your career, means stepping out of your comfort zone, building upon existing knowledge and learning new skills to land your next role or promotion. Here's what she had to say:
'We all have transferrable skills, just because you’re in one job today does not mean you have to stay in that job for the rest of your career. In every job, you’re learning and developing skills, and these skills can be applied in a different method, in a different industry, in a different job. You’re never trapped where you’re at!’
Nothing beats tenacity, persistence and the drive to succeed.
Everyone has talent; you only have to work hard enough to develop it. The reality is that most people don’t step into the world of computers being a natural computer whiz. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort, there’s no limit to what you can achieve in your profession.
During her talk, Angela Herzberg, Director Software Engineering at LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Group, reminded us that at the beginning of any career, your performance is less about talent, and more about effort and resilience:
‘As many of you would know, to work in technology you don’t really need a college degree, you can dive in with a certification or sometimes very little knowledge of technology. It’s really the problem-solving skills that can help you get started, and that curiosity to learn new things.’
And that’s it!
Throughout history, women have been an integral part of shaping our future and it's important to carry on this legacy. While the journey may not be easy, it is vital to keep moving forward and smashing down those gender barriers! This Women’s History Month we encourage you to embrace equity and all of the women who have excelled despite having had to break through glass ceilings to do so
