babelforce's Women in Tech - Insights revealed

It’s International Women’s Day! And that means it’s time to share some interesting insights of some of the great women that occupy tech jobs at babelforce. 

We interviewed 6 ladies from our team asking them about:

• What first sparked their initial interested in working in the tech industry
• If they feel like they had to work harder than male colleagues to advance their career
• What advice they would give other women entering the tech field 

Let’s dive in and see what they said. 

Katrin, what first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?

I have always been fascinated by computers and all its surrounding habitats (internet, mobile phones, networks, etc.). The fascination was less with developing my own programs but rather with the breathtaking effects it had on our society in such a short time span.

I picked up studying philosophy and history of technology, focusing on software history. The role women had in early software development and how their male colleagues took over when they discovered that software was more prestigious than hardware was most enlightening (among many other topics).

I didn’t know that I was going to work in tech. I thought I might stay at the university or work at some institution because I wasn’t a developer nor did I think that I would bring any relevant skills to the tech world.

But as it turned out, when faced by all the possibilities and by so many undiscovered grounds in how businesses handle automation, I realized that my place indeed was in tech. My skills were highly needed. I grew into the tech industry without planning to do so.

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career?

Not really. But I did have to prove that I know what I’m talking about (also to myself). 

I was always used to being the only woman, also during university. I didn’t mind. I didn’t have to work harder, however, I had to learn that my knowledge wasn’t less elaborate than that of most of my male colleagues. Rather, most of the male colleagues were brought up with a much bigger ego and I might have not been familiar with the right termina to be taken seriously in the beginning.

I quickly learned that I had to be loud to be heard and that my intuition, reasoning and, by now also, my experience often exceeded the ability of many male colleagues. It was just not so easy to prove this. It took time, many words, and patience. And a focus on facts, outcome, and practical solutions.

What advice would you give to women entering the tech field? Anything you wish you had known?

Women are still not equal. As girls, they are dressed in pink and look like princesses. They are often told that they just are a certain way (chatty, social, etc.). 

A good example is sciences and math. Many girls dislike it because that’s what society generally implies: it’s not for ladies. Just a side remark that girls aren’t as good in math as boys might be enough to make a girl doubt her own abilities which might have a major impact for later careers.

We still have to fight for equal treatment, equal starting points. The biggest hurdle is us and the cultural heritage that all women carry. Being aware of this helps.

I would say that this advice has little to do with the tech industry in particular, this is important to keep in mind for any occupation women engage in. But of course, entering a male-dominated field always takes courage and willingness to leave your own comfort zone.

I think what is most important is not to try to be like others but stay true to your own beliefs and convictions. Do not try to please but to convince others.

Agata, what first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?

Initially, it was a combination of what my partner, friends, and colleagues were talking about. At some point they started discussing ideas for some small projects with me or they showed me what they have built.

This little voice in my head would then keep asking “what if I try it out myself?”.

And then I started reading, trying, and failing, and then trying even harder.  And one day I basically created something “out of nothing” and it felt truly empowering.

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career?

Certainly! There are so many stereotypes we as women need to fight every day. Gender bias or even traditional gender roles, these are real barriers.

These circumstances are definitely improving, but it’s an uneven fight - you need to change not only your mindset but often also other people’s.

At the beginning of my career, I had to start convincing myself that what I learnt or built was not “impressive for a girl”, although it was for sure. But I’m lucky to be working with open-minded people who support me a lot on this journey.

What advice would you give to women entering the tech field? Anything you wish you had known?

Look for other female mentors in your field. If you have a female role model that is at a certain point where you want to be, that makes it much easier to imagine yourself in that position.

And if you’re a woman already working in tech, help your female friends and colleagues - enable them, support them, guide them. Nothing helped me as much as my other female colleagues. 

Farnia, what first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?

I first became interested in the tech industry when I was 8 years old. I received my first computer, and one day, while I was using it, the computer suddenly froze, and nothing was responding. We contacted the computer company, and they sent a technician to fix it. I was thrilled and amazed when the technician resolved the issue. I excitedly told my dad that I wanted to become a computer expert when I grew up.

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career?

I believe that hard work is a requirement for succeeding in a career, regardless of gender. Most of the time, I was the only female in the team, but nothing stopped me from striving hard to achieve what I wanted.

What advice would you give to women entering the tech field? Anything you wish you had known?

Be a trailblazer. Challenge gender biases and stereotypes that may exist in the industry. Your presence and achievements can inspire positive change.

And most importantly, believe in your abilities and don’t hesitate to voice your ideas. Your unique perspective and contributions are valuable, so don't shy away from showcasing your skills and expertise.

Christina, what first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?

I never thought about working in tech because it quenched me. I thought this is only for people that have worked with code their whole life already. Then however, I wrote my thesis with R (a coding language similar to Python) and I realized this is really fun once you dive deeper into it. That is how I got into the tech industry. 

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career?

I always feel the need to improve for some reason, but I don’t actively relate this to the fact of being a woman - maybe / probably subconsciously, yes.

I feel like we don’t experience / support that “male energy” at babelforce / in my team as much. I experienced this much more frequently in larger companies where I used to work before.

In such environments women are sometimes not taken as seriously or need to prove themselves more. 

What advice would you give to women entering the tech field? Anything you wish you had known?

If you are interested and enjoy it, you can also learn technical subjects at a later stage in life. It’s a process, but step-by-step you’ll get there.

Oksana, what first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?

I never imagined during my school days that I would end up in the tech industry. Software development wasn't as prevalent back then. My passion for mathematics led me to pursue a degree in Applied Math at a technical university.

It was only after three years of study, after immersing myself in various branches of mathematics, that I discovered my true interest in the process of software development. That realization marked the beginning of my journey into the tech industry.

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career?

Not yet! But let's see if I need to bring out the big guns when aiming for those CTO positions. ;-)

What advice would you give to women entering the tech field? Anything you wish you had known?

Don't be afraid of the unknown. Take the time to educate yourself on concepts you don't understand and explore tools through webinars or other resources. It's okay not to have an immediate answer or solution at all times. Give yourself permission to learn and grow at your own pace.

Daria, what first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?

There was little romance in my case because this industry was my open getaway to avoid being sent as a teacher to a small Belarusian village in the middle of nowhere, to work there for €200 for 2 years.😅 So, I had very grounded interests here.

But apart from that, it sounded like pure magic back then. It was like an American dream where you could get rich and successful, so I guess my 18-year-old self was very much looking forward to it (not much changed to be honest).

Do you feel you’ve had to work harder than male colleagues to advance your career?

I was fortunate enough to work with fantastic teams where the majority was formed by women actually. So I can’t say much about this.

What advice would you give to women entering the tech field? Anything you wish you had known?

I'd say it's super important in general to trust yourself, your gut, and your perspective no matter what other people may try to make you believe. People might have all sorts of expectations, opinions, and thoughts, but it's important to have the courage and strength to have faith in your own judgement and trust the others if you feel they are worthy.