Women in Tech

Women in Tech https://spinifexit.com/wp-content/themes/corpus/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 SpinifexIT SpinifexIT https://spinifexit.com/wp-content/themes/corpus/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg March 3, 2022 December 13, 2022

Women are no strangers in tech.

The industry is run by passionate, smart, and skilled women who get the job done and do it well – and we’re lucky to have a lot of them here at SpinifexIT.

This Women’s Month, we’d like to highlight a few of the cool techies here at SpinifexIT. Get to know them, their stories, their challenges, and what it means to be a woman in tech today.

Ilona
Web Developer

What made you want to be a developer and be part of the tech industry?
I wanted to be a developer because it’s something new and very non-traditional. I feel inspired when I know that what I create can help a lot of people make their life easier.

What were the internal and external challenges you faced while learning to code or being part of a male-dominated industry? How did you overcome them?
I experienced being treated unfairly at my previous workplace, but I overcame this situation by thinking positively.

What would be your advice to young girls interested in learning how to code or join the tech industry?
It is very challenging work, but always think that it will push you to be a better version of yourself, bug after bug.

Tiff
Quality Manager

What made you want to be a part of the tech industry? Tell us your story.
As a fresh graduate, I was told that most jobs in the tech industry pays well, and I didn’t want to be left behind! With my almost non-existent Mandarin skills and zero background in SAP HR, I started out as an SAP Data Management Analyst for China and Hong Kong accounts.

As I navigated through the SAP world, I became more interested in the product itself and how it helped companies, especially with how it transforms HR and payroll departments.

In addition, technology is ever-evolving. This gave me a chance to be part of several projects with different hats and roles to play, such as Service Delivery, Change Management, and Support Management.

Now in SpinifexIT, I have the opportunity to learn more from the testing and QA perspective. There’s endless possibilities and learning in the tech industry. The culture around it also suits me – I like being surrounded by passionate people all geared towards change and transformation, which makes the experience exciting and worthwhile.

What were the internal and external challenges you faced as a manager or being part of a male-dominated industry? How did you overcome them?
One of the skills that I feel I need to constantly develop is communication, more so in this work from home setup. I’m proud to see my teammates performing and still being efficient while working from home. I have a small team but everyone is unique, with different working styles and personalities. So I’m figuring out different ways in bridging the distance with effective and timely communication.

We also have a very structured release schedule, and I wanted to improve on motivating the team in all situations. Hopefully, I will be, or am able to show the bigger picture, highlight and present the importance of the tasks to the team, and inspire motivation. It is a work in progress, and I stay optimistic and have the confidence that all things will work out.

Thankfully, I have not felt discriminated against in the companies I’ve joined, as I’ve had amazing ELTs and SLTs who treat us as co-equals. I see it in my new work family as well, where everyone is empowered to accomplish great things.

What would be your advice to women who want to take on leadership roles?
Go for it! By any chance, if there are still some inconsiderations, there is always hope for change. Stay humble, be driven by passion, remain professional at all costs, and enjoy the ride.

Ava
Full Stack Developer

What made you want to be a developer and be part of the tech industry? Tell us your story.
Ever since college, I loved solving logic problems and turning my algorithm solutions into running programs. I felt I was good at it, so I pursued being a software developer after graduating.

Even though college was quite a blur (I don’t know how I passed my Java subject!), I appreciated programming more as a young professional. I relearned what was taught in college, took training left and right to improve my craft.

After being assigned to various industries, I gained experiences and learned from the people I’ve worked with.

Looking back on those years, I know there were ups and downs and love-and-hate feelings with my job. However, I always come back to the realization that I find fulfillment in what I do.

What were the internal and external challenges you faced while learning to code or being part of a male-dominated industry? How did you overcome them?
I think my biggest struggle as a developer is finding the balance on how much we should accommodate a client’s requests and efficiently explaining to them why things won’t be possible (given the timelines) or why things are better off another way.

It’s a challenge to build a good rapport with them and make them see you as a competent developer rather than just someone who they rely on making a program or system for them.

Knowing the product technically and functionally, including the client’s business processes, helped me gain respect and trust from the people I work with. It’s also a skill to be explain technical processes – while making it understandable – to clients or colleagues.

As an introvert, I usually get “sidelined” in the team while the more outspoken guys get their way. Many times I would struggle to be more assertive and confident during discussions and brainstorming sessions for my ideas to be considered. It took confidence and the needed knowledge on the topics to be heard and be able to keep up with my colleagues.

What would be your advice to young girls interested in learning how to code or join the tech industry?
It’s fun to be in the IT industry, and it’s cool to be a woman who does well here. 🙂 You should never get discouraged or intimidated by people saying that “It’s a man’s world.”

It’s already 2022 and women are slaying it in whatever field they choose. 😉 It may sometimes be challenging, but as long as you’re passionate about what you do, it will always be worth it.”

Jill
Business Analyst

What made you want to be a developer and be part of the tech industry? Tell us what inspired you.
Before I got into the industry, I thought people there seemed so cool and brilliant. I still think we still are. 🙂
On a serious note, I wanted a career that would make people’s lives easier, and clearly that’s what technology does.

What were the internal and external challenges you faced while learning to code or being part of a male-dominated industry? How did you overcome them?
You need to keep up with the fast- paced and changing trends, so what I do is I find a way to hone my skills, whether the company will provide me with the platform and opportunities or not. I enroll in different trainings outside and inside the organization, take tasks as challenges and see them as an opportunity to get better at what I do.

What would be your advice to young girls interested in learning how to code or join the tech industry?
If you are in the process of building your career, it’s crucial that you work with people who will nourish, inspire, and mentor you.

Ask the important questions. Asking will build your knowledge and contribute to your learning process and development.

Don’t be afraid to speak up. Deliver it in a professional way with accurate data to back up your ideas or suggestions or if you’re pushing back.

Landz
ABAP Developer

What made you want to be a part of the tech industry? Tell us your story.
In my college years, when I shifted to another course, which is Computer Applications, I really enjoyed it and since then, my jobs have been related to it.

What were the internal and external challenges you faced as a manager or being part of a male-dominated industry? How did you overcome them?
When I was a student, I already realized how few women there were in the field, and I got used to it, so it didn’t really bother me. Though the tech industry is male-dominated, my peers/people I worked with do not make me feel discriminated. In fact, I appreciate being able to learn from them or anyone, since I get to see their point of view and how they work.

What would be your advice to young girls and women who want to be part of the tech industry to advance their career and become leaders?
If there is an opportunity, grab it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions because we don’t know everything. Seek help to get through the transition and enjoy the process.