Jennifer Mick used to struggle to speak up during meetings, until she read an article about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor that changed everything.
In the article, O’Connor described how she changed her speech pattern to keep her colleagues’ attention and accentuate her points. Inspired by this, Mick started to change the way she delivered opinions during meetings by speaking more slowly or intentionally while focusing primarily on one or two points.
This is just one of the ways in which she has navigated being a woman in engineering. Earlier on in her career, Mick was often the only woman on her team, and she worked hard to prove her talent to her peers.
“With every successful project we completed, I built my team’s trust and confidence in my abilities,” she said.
Once she discovered her passion for working with customers and tackling interesting projects, Mick sought a workplace that would enable her to do both of those things, which is what brought her to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where she currently works as a lead software architect. Since joining the company, she has been encouraged to grow, innovate and take initiative all while receiving ongoing support from leadership.
“My management team is more than willing to find challenging opportunities for exploring next-generation tools and advanced tech solutions,” Mick said.
With access to the right opportunities and supportive people, she has carved out a fulfilling career path and become an inspiration to other women in tech. Read on to learn about the challenges Mick has overcome in her career, how the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has helped her thrive and the advice she’d offer other women in tech looking for workplaces where they can grow.
About the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
A part of the Central bank of the United States, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston strives to promote sound growth and financial stability in New England and the nation by conducting economic research, participating in monetary policy-making, supervising certain financial institutions and more.
Describe your experience as a woman in engineering. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?
Fortunately, I’ve had a positive experience in my software engineering career. I’ve worked primarily in the aerospace and finance industries. When I was first starting out, I asked tons of questions, and I found people I connected with on a personal level. These were the people who guided me both in improving my technical skills and in my career overall.
As the only woman on some teams, I did not always feel included initially. So I dove into the work and focused on excellence and meeting milestones. With every successful project we completed, I built my team’s trust and confidence in my abilities.
I’m an introspective person, so one challenge for me has been speaking up and being heard in a room full of people who are passionate about technology. I read an article where former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor described how she changed her speech pattern to ensure that she kept her colleagues’ attention and accentuated her points. So sometimes during an active meeting I may change the way I deliver an opinion. For example, I might speak more slowly or intentionally. I think about the one or two points that are most important to get across and only speak to those.
What are your professional goals, and how has the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston enabled you to pursue them? What career growth resources/opportunities are available?
I’ve always wanted to work with customers and talented people on interesting projects while learning the latest technologies. At the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, I’m in an environment that encourages growth, innovation and initiative. My management team is more than willing to find challenging opportunities for exploring next-generation tools and advanced tech solutions.
“At the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, I’m in an environment that encourages growth, innovation and initiative.”
The Federal Reserve System also has a “leadership exchange” program in which teams can post temporary positions, and staff across the System can apply to gain expertise in a different platform or group. I am currently participating in one of these opportunities for business architecture, and I’ve enjoyed gaining this exposure while connecting with a wider group of colleagues.
What advice do you have for women in engineering or other technical roles regarding how to identify a company and team that will support their growth and development?
Connecting directly with other women in engineering is a great way to find out how a company supports active learning and development. Attending networking meetings or finding visible success stories on LinkedIn can help reveal how a company supports growth.
I would explore a company’s website and look at their leadership team to see how women are represented. Take a deeper look: See if the company goes beyond a well-crafted mission statement and has actual partnerships with organizations that nurture women’s leadership.
