Like the Go to Jail card in the game of Monopoly, the tech industry seems to find thrill and power in telling women not to pass ‘go.’ Women in tech — or even women who are interested in tech from a distance — are often bombarded with myths, terrible advice and warnings to reconfigure their goals.
This phenomenon shows up in the numbers. Earlier this year, Built In quantified some of the trends regarding women in tech. Not only do 48 percent of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs note discrimination in the hiring process, but 66 percent of them report a lack of pathways to move them forward in their current roles.
How do we bust those myths and reset those statistics?
Thankfully women across tech, like Harshita Rao, are changing the game. Rao, the director of solutions engineering at Transmit Security, is no stranger to the myth that STEM isn’t for women. She prefers to see it differently, crediting tech jobs as the perfect fit for analytical minds and passionate innovators.
Elsewhere in Boston, Tassanee Khouri is challenging the perceived rules that seem to bar women in tech from following a parallel path into motherhood. As a sales director at 1upHealth, Khouri questions why women are assumed to be “less committed” to their work while pregnant. Steering away from expectation, she took pregnancy as an opportunity to reframe her value and land a promotion.
Making a place in tech for women is an ongoing process, but these leaders are moving things forward by offering words of advice and sharing their perspectives on how to ignore misleading myths.
What’s a career myth that women hear a lot, and why would they be better off ignoring it?
“Women are better at jobs that involve creativity or arts and should avoid pursuing STEM majors and tech roles.”
The truth is, every person — irrespective of gender — is built differently and has their own strengths and interests. STEM is extremely vast and offers a variety of job opportunities and roles that women can choose from. Tech jobs specifically are perfect for anyone who has an analytical bent and is passionate about innovation and technology advancement.
Women can be great software developers, tech managers, strategists, CEOs and leaders when they are given the right opportunities.”
What advice would you give to reframe that career myth?
Women can be great software developers, tech managers, strategists, CEOs and leaders in tech when they are given the right opportunities and a conducive work environment in which to grow. Not everyone is fortunate, and some women face an uphill battle because the tech world is still not ready for them.
Even when you hear comments such as, “You can never be as productive as a man,” or “A woman’s place is in the home,” you shouldn’t allow that to hold you back. Instead, grow stronger, surround yourself with people who support your growth, and let your skills and talent shine through. Eventually your work and your results will speak volumes!
What’s a career myth that women hear a lot, and why would they be better off ignoring it?
Ignore the myth about avoiding looking for a new job or promotion while pregnant. It’s unfortunate that the beginning of our career trajectories coincide with prime family-planning time. Men are allowed to continue on their paths, while women are often made to feel like they should take a step back from their careers — or worse, it’s assumed that pregnant women will not be as committed as similar-aged men. Though maternity leave is a slight speed bump, it should not be considered a showstopper. In reality, it accounts for a very small percentage of our careers and should be treated as such.
I applied for a promotion when I was seven months pregnant, and I was lucky enough to interview with a man who saw my worth and was willing to delay my transition by five months so it took place after my maternity leave ended. I expressed my value in a way that made it easier for him to justify taking on my role for a couple of additional months, rather than filling it immediately. I know that I very easily could have been denied the opportunity and not every manager would wait for a sustained period of time.
We are our own best advocates. No one is going to advocate for us like we can.”
What advice would you give to reframe that career myth?
Many of my colleagues couldn’t believe that I would look to move jobs while being so visibly pregnant. I firmly believe that we are our own best advocates. No one is going to advocate for us like we can. And when it comes to pregnancy and maternity leave, this doesn’t change. If a great opportunity arrives, you have to grab it!
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