Tech firm founder tells how to close the gender gap
As a woman founder and CEO of a Silicon-Valley tech company, I often get asked how I’ve experienced gender bias over the course of my career.
While working in high-tech before founding my own company, I felt compelled to do the work of four people to prove myself and keep moving forward. Luckily, I did have exposure to coding earlier in life, and I was not afraid to take on the toughest projects. By voicing my opinions and taking on big initiatives, I was able to advance my career.
At the same time, I encountered a lot of women who struggled to find their voice and were intimidated by the technical aspects of their roles. Women also tend to network less than men, being invited less often to after-work drinks or golf games, so they tend to rely much more on their results to get recogni-
It is imperative that women help each other and proactively seek out younger professionals to mentor and assist in their leadership journeys. We should be nominating each other for awards, recommending other women for promotions, or simply inviting newer colleagues for coffee to lend an ear and some advice.
tion. All too often, it’s still not enough, considering the stubborn persistence of the gender gap in tech.
According to World Economic Forum’s global Industry Gender Gap Report, women make up only 5 percent of CEOs, 11 percent of senior managers and 24 percent of the overall workforce in the Information and Communications Technology industry.
In my experience, three main areas need to be addressed to close the gender gap. The first is skill set, the second is confidence to take on big things ( leadership skills), and the third is being part of a supportive network. We’re tackling all three through GLAM (Girls Leadership Academy Meetup), a free summer computer and leadership camp for girls ages 8-12 that takes place this weekend.
I know from experience how impactful such a program can be. When I was 13 years old, my mother went to great lengths and personal sacrifice to scrape together enough money to send me to a summer coding camp. This was a watershed experi- ence for me. I realized I liked to code, and I paid my way through university by coding.
GLAM emphasizes computer science and coding to give girls a taste of technology and show them that there is no reason to be intimidated. Hopefully, many of them will decide to pursue careers in tech, but even if they don’t, let’s face it: technology is a part of everything we do in this digital age. Understanding technology will help them no matter what field they choose to pursue.
Proactively building a supportive network that includes peers, role models and mentors is another important factor in career advancement. Mentors are so important to the leadership journey, yet they tend to be more elusive for women. ICASA’s The Future Tech Workforce: Breaking Gender Barriers report cites “lack of mentors”, “lack of women role models in the field” and “limited networking opportunities” as the top barriers faced by women in tech.
It is imperative that women help each other and proactively seek out younger professionals to mentor and assist in their leadership journeys. We should be nominating each other for awards, recommending other women for promotions, or simply inviting newer colleagues for coffee to lend an ear and some advice.
By mentoring girls at an impressionable age and giving women the support they need to advance in their careers, we can help shape the tech industry of tomorrow by providing it with confident and talented women who are ready to lead.