Alyssa Carofano, senior product operations manager at WHOOP, knows that leveling up as a woman in the tech industry requires both internal clarity of vision and the willingness to share that clarity.
“Clearly communicate your accomplishments, skills and aspirations, and don’t be afraid to express your career goals and seek out opportunities that align with them,” she told Built In.
Seeking out great opportunities also means declining options that don’t align with your goals. Carofano accepted her current role after recognizing that she wanted her work to align more closely with her personal passions and interests. Clarity can require tough choices. “[It] can mean saying no and walking away from opportunities that no longer suit you and the vision you have set for yourself,” she explained.
Women in tech leadership are something of a rarity. According to DDI’s recent Global Leadership Forecast, only 28 percent of tech industry managers are women. That makes advice from Carofano and other women who have found ways to level up especially valuable.
Built In sat down with Carofano to hear more of her guidance for women looking to level up their tech careers.
WHOOP is a performance optimization system for elite athletes and teams.
Tell me how you´ve grown during your time in the tech industry. Where did you start, and where are you now?
My initial entrance into the tech industry was in 2019, working as a program manager for Amazon’s Alexa. While I didn't start my career in tech, I decided to pivot industries as it was quickly becoming the forefront of innovation.
I soon realized that I thrived in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment. The urgency and intensity of tech was both exhilarating and energizing, and I was excited to further my career in the industry. After a little over two years at Amazon, I decided I wanted to take my skill sets to an organization that more closely aligned with my personal passions and interests.
Insert WHOOP. As a health and wellness enthusiast and an avid WHOOP user at the time, the product operations role felt like a perfect fit. I would be able to leverage my program manager expertise and tenure to advance the WHOOP mission and empower the rapidly growing team to optimize performance and achieve results.
Now, as a senior product operations manager leading a newly established team of engineering program managers, I have been able to expand my role into a highly strategic, cross-functional position that touches nearly all aspects of the business.
What resources (a women-focused ERG, mentorship opportunities, etc.) are available at your company any/or within your community to help women grow their skills and learn from others?
WHOOP offers various opportunities for women within the organization. For starters, there are several women in leadership positions at WHOOP who inspire me every day and help me continue to push myself further. Whether directly or indirectly, working on a team that is led by strong, confident women will help drive a cultural transformation that challenges stereotypes and empowers others on the team to do the same.
As co-lead of the Women of WHOOP ERG, I also get to see first-hand the impact that resource groups can have on employees. Whether it is through monthly coffee chats, mentorship pairings, keynote speakers or simply an after-work activity, the women-focused ERGs at WHOOP promote professional development, create a sense of support and community and foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace culture.
What advice would you give to other women interested in leveling up their career? What are some of the biggest lessons you´ve learned?
I’ve quickly learned the importance of building a strong professional network filled with mentors who can offer guidance, share experiences and instill inspiration. While it's crucial to acknowledge your strengths, it’s also important to strike a balance between confidence and humility and be open to learning from others along the way.
I’d also tell women interested in leveling up their careers to learn to advocate for themselves. Clearly communicate your accomplishments, skills and aspirations, and don’t be afraid to express your career goals and seek out opportunities that align with them.
Clearly communicate your accomplishments, skills and aspirations, and don’t be afraid to express your career goals and seek out opportunities that align with them.”
That can mean saying no and walking away from opportunities that no longer suit you and the vision you have set for yourself. However, it’s also important to remain resilient. Understand that challenges may arise along the way, but use those obstacles to fuel your growth and learn from your experiences.
Empowering women to level up their careers involves a combination of self-awareness, skill development, networking and strategic planning.
