It’s no secret that the technology career path has always been one that more men tend to go down than women, and that can make being a woman in IT quite challenging. But I don’t want to start on a negative because in fairness I’ve enjoyed every minute of my 12 years in the industry.
Has it been difficult at times? Yes, but I think that overcoming certain hurdles has only helped me to work that much harder to prove my capabilities, gain the respect of others and as a result further my career.
Do women have to fight harder to earn respect in this industry? Possibly, but I like to keep in mind that if you’re working with incredibly talented people, it’s irrelevant whether they happen to be male or female. Thankfully, I’m quite a thick-skinned person who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, so for that reason I’ve never really felt intimidated by being in the gender minority.
I’m the only female in the office and in all honesty I don’t really think about it. I go into work and I do my job. Feeling comfortable in your environment is usually based around how you interact with people day to day; the relationships you build with the people around you and subsequently that earns respect, but I like to think that feeling is mutual. Having said that, I’m not about to deny the fact that there have been times (or debates, should I say) when I would have liked to have had another female point of view on things because it adds another dimension to the discussion.
I believe every business would benefit from gender diversity at management level, because naturally the differences between men and women change the operational dynamics. At the risk of sounding stereotypical, women do tend to have the skills for leading teams and people, such as an instinct to ‘nurture’ and a sense of community, and my male employer would probably agree with me on that.
Yet, sadly, some women are put off by a career in this male-dominated industry and there are very few female role models within technology to change those perceptions, and that’s an inhibitor. I also think that there is still a misconception that this industry is a ‘man’s world’ and that all roles within it are highly technical. But there are a variety of roles within the industry that are key to delivering business requirements and managing the day-to-day technical operation.
A role within the IT Industry isn’t necessarily a hands-on coding role – this is something that’s probably missed when communicating to those females leaving school, college or university.
I feel lucky that I’ve never experienced any real resistance to my gender in this sector. I’ve been fortunate to have been given empowerment, opportunity and career progression in the F&B technology industry. I think that women can often benefit from being in the minority too, because the diversity helps you to stand out and become more recognised by your male colleagues.
I won’t lie – I didn’t always see myself having a career in technology. If I’d had my way as a child, I would have been a pretty amazing vet! Quite a world away from where I am now. I’ll have to let my 8-year-old daughter keep that torch burning for now.
Would I encourage more women into IT? Absolutely, but I would say try to explore roles in the technology sector with an open mind, and avoid making sweeping assumptions about what constitutes a career in IT, because things aren’t always what they may seem on the surface.
Katie Killinger is operations director at F&B technology specialist Caternet.
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