Opportunity knocks; Vogue Shelf: Hannah Canham; Capturing Coco.
As we kick off Vogue Codes for 2020, technology professional Renuka Kimber posits a surprising truth: in the tech space, creative and critical thinking are just as valuable as traditional STEM skills.
a meeting surrounded by experts mapping concepts, only to feel too unqualified to have a perspective? Imposter syndrome is a common theme among those who have limited technical knowledge but work in industries that are increasingly disrupted by technology.
It’s something I struggled with too when I began working in technology for a consulting firm. I’d find myself sitting in meeting rooms with people talking about code and cloud and wonder whether someone missed a key question in the interview process when they hired a ‘non-technical’ like me. It took me a while to overcome this self-doubt and recognise the importance of my perspective in these conversations and break down the internal dialogue of the technical/non-technical corporate class system.
How did I end up in technology? I simply stayed true to the advice of a mentor: stay curious and don’t have a plan. Living this advice, I’ve done three degrees: a BA in history, MA in anthropology and political science and an MBA – all wildly inspiring and challenging. My professional career has been similarly diverse. I worked in media, brand strategy and diplomacy before transitioning into tech. I also co-founded and developed a thriving international menswear business with my husband, designer Christian Kimber, and I would say the use of technology to generate customer insights to guide our business has been a cornerstone of our success.
Many of the skills required for each of these roles were transferable in that they focussed on communicating powerful ideas in simple terms to a target audience. The point being is that amid all of this, I never learned to code, and I don’t intend to. Put simply, there are others – an increasing proportion of whom, I am pleased to say, are women – who are deeply skilled in this area. While I would never dissuade someone from learning the basics or pursuing formal qualifications, I know that I am far better placed to play to my strengths. Besides, when you look at some of the most successful women in technology today, a lack of computer science capabilities actually stands you in pretty good company.
Of the Forbes 2019 ‘20 most powerful women in technology’ list, only two actually studied computer science or engineering. Although I’m sure that now all of these women know enough about tech to be more than dangerous, it’s likely most of their technical knowledge was developed on the job.
For these female leaders, the paths to study computer science and related disciplines may not have been as open as they are to young women today. And while I actively support programs designed to get girls to develop coding and technical skills, I always stress that this is no longer the only ticket to ride. For experienced professionals like me, there are countless opportunities to develop a career in technology.
Getting past the imposter syndrome, however, requires a shift from a ‘negative list’ view of skill-sets (what you don’t have) to a ‘positive list’ view of the unique value you bring. In my organisation we are changing the way teams are designed, from functional teams of small groups of people with similar backgrounds making key business decisions, to horizontal structures that bring together a mix of skills, strengths and backgrounds.
These days, so-called ‘soft skills’ such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability and leadership skills are increasingly in high demand across the technology domain.
I have found myself working in an incredible team focussed on highly complex technology-enabled solutions to equally complex business and client problems. It’s my role to champion the voice of the customer throughout the innovation lifecycle. Ultimately, I see myself as a sort of translator between our business partners, technologists and the end users.
For the majority of platforms disrupting businesses today, technology is the enabler, not the product. The product itself is still the transport you took via Uber, the music you listened to via Spotify, or the information you analysed via Xero. Before people developed the platforms, someone identified the opportunity. The need for clever people who can help businesses identify the next one – diagnose a client problem or build businesses under their own steam – is vast. More importantly, the potential to apply ‘non-traditional’ skills in creative and critical thinking to the solution of these opportunities opens up exciting pathways for women looking to make their move into tech. Renuka Kimber is a senior manager in technology and growth at a ‘Big Four’ professional services firm and is the co-founder of the Christian Kimber menswear brand.
“I have never learned code, and don’t intend to … I am far better placed to play to my strengths”