So this happened on Wednesday… Delivered a solo keynote talk on Transforming Tech Careers at J.P. Morgan in Blackfriars for the Black Tech Achievement Awards Finalists networking event they were headline sponsoring. The room was packed with key leaders and employees from J.P. Morgan and other organisations so as a women in tech keynote speaker it was the ideal opportunity to highlight this problem…

that there is a serious problem in tech…

That out of 3 million tech professionals in the UK, only 26% are women, and to my shock and disbelief the lowest representation of underrepresented groups are black women at 0.7%…

0.7% ya know. The stats are ridiculous.

Seems crazy when women are heavy consumers of digital products and 79% of in-app purchasing decisions are made by women… you’d think they’d want to have more of us involved in the design, development and delivery of digital products to make sure needs of diverse customer user base are met.

After debating with many people over the years about why women in general, and especially black women, are so underrepresented in tech, during the talk I highlighted a number of viewpoints from these debates (the attitudes on women in tech from individuals and senior leaders at organisations), and highlighted what I’ve uncovered and experienced during my own tech career journey, and how I’ve helped women build inner confidence to make a career change into tech or progress their existing career in tech through my tech career coaching company Techfidence.

It was important to highlight my own struggles with getting people at organisations to take me seriously as a software developer since it was a regularly held shock view that a black woman could possibly be interested in tech and actually made a success of achieving her goal. Also highlighted my first key project at the start of my career and the most recent project when I decided to pivot my career into the Mobile space as a senior Android Developer then transitioning into leadership of the same development team. A rollercoaster of a journey.

Great to share a real example of one of my coaching clients who transition from Teacher to Associate Solutions Architect within 5 months of completing my coaching programme, achieving her dream job and role that matches her personality, values and desired lifestyle.

Shared some strategies for those transitioning into tech or wanting to progress their career, and ended with a bit of advice.

The talk was well received and resonated with a lot of people and inspired a lot of further deeper conversation about the issues of lack of women in tech and what can be done about it.

Really enjoyed the event and enjoyed delivering the talk as a women in tech keynote speaker. It was great to chat to many key leaders at J.P. Morgan after the talk, and meet some of the other BTA Awards finalists.

If your organisation needs a women in tech keynote speaker to inspire your employees or audience direct message me about public speaking services.

#keynotespeaker

#womenintech

#diversityintech

#careercoachingforwoman

#speaker

#techcareercoaching

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Inspired by a recent post by Yemurai R on Career Disappointment due to following the career path of someone else and quitting when it doesn’t go to plan in the shortest timescale possible, I felt strongly to put my two cents in. Yem told no lies in her post and she was right to address the issue. So many people have unrealistic expectations of a career change into tech based on the recent ‘social media hype’ of the ‘break into tech within X months’ movement, and then feel like a failure when it doesn’t happen as they thought it would and give up quick.

However, I don’t think its the ‘hype’ alone that has led people to set these unrealistic expectations of being able to announce they broke into tech in X short months. I think a lot of it is also to do with people not willing to do the other important work that’s needed to lay strong foundations before you commit to this roller coaster of a journey to transition into tech…

The inner work

Whose goal is it anyway?

Is it YOUR tech career goal to be in X role in Y area in tech, or someone close to you said it was a cool role, or an influencer on said platform hyped up the role so it must fit you too? Taking the time to get clarity on your goals will set you up for a smoother journey from the outset and ensure you will be investing all this time into pursuing a role that actually matched your values and personality, etc, for the RIGHT reasons.

What’s holding you back?

Why haven’t you achieved goal this before? This requires a lot of self reflection and digging into the past, present and the future, that a lot of people are just not willing to go there because it’s uncomfortable. I remember getting cussed once by a client who came to me for coaching help, but initially refused to look into the past, and sure as hell didn’t want to face what was really holding them back. My response was how do you expect to move forward and create a career and life of your dreams, if you’re not willing to explore and identify what causing your limiting beliefs and sabotaging up your progress. The answer is already inside you, you just need to be willing to invest the time to uncover it to move forward with your goals with full intention and freedom from the mental hold.

Have you set a realistic deadline for success?

The keyword here is ‘realistic’. When I ask some people what they tried and how long for before they concluded it hasn’t worked out, i’m sometimes sat scratching my head like who in the world told you that was a realistic target. Don’t get me wrong some people have been successful in a quick period, but not everyone’s journey is the same and not everyone has the same time and resources to throw at this journey so everyone’s results will be different and its not realistic to set your career goal and timeline based on someone else’s journey.

When I reel off a list of things to find out:

– what they’ve actually tried to achieve the goal

– have they asked anyone in that area of tech they want to get into for feedback

– have they networked with people in the area they wanted

– have they used the ‘gold mind’ that is LinkedIn effectively to help them make meaningful connections,

– have they posted about what they want and declared in public what they are looking

– have they regularly been a bit vulnerable and showcased stuff

the answer is usually ‘no’ to some or most of those points… and I’m sat there sometimes scratching my head about how they expected to achieve their goals in the timeframe they put pressure on themselves to because they’ve not achieved it.

I also have to say switching on the ‘open for work’ logo or adding ‘aspiring XXXXX’ to your title alone ain’t going to get you very far very quickly in most cases.

This is a marathon not a short distance sprint, and you got to believe in yourself yes, but also do the work to learn the stuff relevant to the role, but also just as important to do the work to bet on yourself and use that vulnerable uncomfortableness you may feel to put yourself in a position to attract the right opportunities to you.

A lot of people are just not willing to come outside of their comfort zone to achieve that, and hence blocking and sabotaging your own blessings.

Anyway I said what I said, let me rest my head.

More power to you x

P.S. If you need help to do the ‘inner work’ and help putting together a realistic action plan for getting into tech, check out my career coaching programme for women who want to build inner confidence to make a career change into tech

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Imposter syndrome manifests in various ways, often leading women to doubt their abilities, fear being exposed as frauds, and attribute their successes to luck rather than skill or hard work. Despite their accomplishments and qualifications, they may feel unworthy of their positions, constantly striving to prove themselves and fearing failure at every turn. This psychological phenomenon can take a toll on mental health, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

Had a discovery call earlier this week with a lovely lady looking for coaching for women in tech for this very problem.  I regularly get approached by people wanting to make a change to a new career in tech and looking for help because they lack confidence in themselves to take the leap and transition into tech or they don’t know why to start.  However quite a few people I have met over the last few months looking for career support are in tech already. The perception is that a lot of people in tech have made it and feel good and got it all together.  Let me tell you from personal experience, that this is B.S a lot of the time.  Some of us here techies are suffering sometimes a crippling lack of confidence and serious imposter syndrome, even when we are presented with evidence by others that proves we are definitely not an imposters.

One of the most distressing aspects of imposter syndrome is the relentless self-criticism and fixation on even the smallest mistakes. Women in tech may find themselves trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, replaying past errors in their minds and agonising over perceived shortcomings. This hyper-focus on perfectionism can create a toxic work environment, leading to burnout and a lack of fulfilment in their careers.

It’s crucial to recognise that imposter syndrome is not a reflection of competence or capability; rather, it’s a common experience shared by many high-achieving individuals, regardless of their industry or background. Women in tech, from junior developers to seasoned engineers and executives, are not immune to its effects. However, acknowledging and addressing imposter syndrome is the first step towards overcoming its grip and reclaiming confidence in one’s abilities.

This is where coaching for women in tech plays a pivotal role.  By providing personalised guidance, support, and strategies for navigating imposter syndrome, coaching empowers women to challenge their negative self-perceptions and cultivate a healthier mindset. Through tailored coaching sessions, women can learn to recognize their strengths, celebrate their achievements, and develop resilience in the face of setbacks.

Coaching for women in tech offers a safe and supportive space to explore feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt, then reframing them as opportunities for growth and self-discovery.  Coaches help women identify and challenge limiting beliefs, develop coping mechanisms for managing imposter syndrome triggers, and cultivate a sense of self-worth rooted in their inherent value as professionals.

Moreover, coaching equips women with practical tools and strategies for building confidence and resilience in their tech careers. From assertive communication techniques to assertiveness training and mindfulness practices, coaching empowers women to navigate workplace challenges with grace and resilience.

Remember, imposter syndrome is a common yet formidable challenge faced by women in the tech industry at all career stages. Coaching for women in tech offers a holistic approach to addressing imposter syndrome, lack of confidence and low self esteem.  It provides personalised support and strategies for building confidence, resilience, and self-worth.  By embracing coaching, women in tech can overcome or better manage imposter syndrome and thrive in their careers, unlocking their full potential and achieving their professional goals.

If you’re a woman in tech in a career you love, but you’re secretly battling with self torment, lack of confidence and feeling like your an impostor in your role and eventually you’ll be found out, reach out for support from a women in tech whose been in your shoes and knows what its like and can help you find a way through to manage it all to have a more confident and fulfilling career and life.

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“I’m really desperate!”. It’s controversial I know, but that’s how some of you are coming across by your actions when trying to change careers, dealing with career rejection or career progression.

Applying for any old job in sh*t company because it means you can say you made it into tech/got that promotion. Even when the red flags were already dangling right in front of you during the recruitment/interview/promotion process, but you pushed on regardless because getting a “yes” makes you feel validated/wanted.

Say you get it and they want you, and 6-12 months in you’re performing better than anyone expected at that stage. You’re shining and making others in your team or company look good in the process. Win win for everyone right!

Then you realise the tide has turned, something isn’t right anymore and they aren’t treating you with any level of respect you deserve and showing you they don’t value what you are bringing to the table. In some instances going to serious lengths to sabotage you right in front of your eyes.

Please please please, in 2024 can we start moving differently and focusing on the right things to get you attracting the right opportunities that actually match your values and personality. And start communicating your value, values and how you want to be treated.

Not everything is for you, and most rejections are a blessing in disguise and a redirection. You can move sideways, you can prove the suckas wrong and move above, or you can put 2 fingers up to the insecure trouble maker(s) and move right on out of there to better things. The choice is yours, but don’t just put your head in the sand.

Please know there is something positive in every lesson, and know that it’s a temporary situation. And you’ll come out stronger on the other side, if you will only bet on yourself.

The only real effective way to handle these situations is to put as much effort into building up your mindset and confidence as you do your technical skills. You can put 20, 30, 50 applications in for a role and get no where if you really don’t believe in your heart that you have something valuable to offer and constantly looking at the negatives of what you don’t have.

What about what you do have? What about all the transferrable skills that you think are not interesting or relevant to a tech company? What about the initiative you pushed through your last company that changed the way things are done and had a position impact on customers or employees? We focus so much on the bad things that have happened that we forget the positive things we achieved along the way. Can you blow your own trumpet a little please!

Inner work and positive mindset activities while you’re experiencing the roller coaster of a career change, career rejection or career progression journey are so important. Without it you’re likely fighting yourself in circles and getting no where.

More power to you!

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