Archive for the 'Career' Category

Succeeding in a male-dominated world (part 2)

Published on November 27, 2007 in Career. 0 Comments

As promised in the previous post, here are some of my ideas for how to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated field (actually, most of these ideas should apply to both men and women).

  • Work with something you’re passionate about. If you’re not, you won’t do as great of a job that you’re capable of.
  • Believe in yourself. Never let anyone convince you you’re not as good as them. The ones showing off the most could be the most insecure on the inside.
  • Stay true to who you are. Do not try to be one of the boys if that’s not you. You’ll get more respect being genuine and comfortable with yourself.
  • Network and socialise - on your terms. You don’t have to e.g. discuss football with the guys if you’re not a fan. There are plenty of areas both men and women can talk about.
  • Be proactive. Don’t wait to get noticed/acknowledged for your work. Be proud of what you’ve done and let others know of your accomplishments.
  • Dare to fail. No one expects you to be perfect.
  • Find a couple of great mentors who can support you, show you the ways, and tell you honestly what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it. And make sure to find both male and female mentors!
  • Acknowledge and treasure the fact that you are a woman, and use it to your advantage. You can e.g. more easily get attention for a job well done. You are likely better than male colleagues at soft issues and people management. Etc, etc.
  • Don’t directly assume your male colleagues mean any harm if their behaviour towards you is awkward. Some men in male-dominated businesses are simply unsure about how to relate professionally to women. Why not help them out by showing them how?
  • Remember to set your own goals. Determine what success means for you, personally. Do not chase a dream that isn’t even yours.

Succeeding in a male-dominated world (part 1)

Published on November 26, 2007 in Career. 1 Comment

Just skimmed through some audience comments from Women In Technology’s Nov 8 event, Aiming for the Top - How to be a Successful Woman Working in IT, on how to achieve success as a woman in a male-dominated field, and I’m blazing mad. Haven’t we come further than this?! Here are some examples to why I’m furious:

Develop a very thick skin and learn to ignore the teasing and jibes. […] Learn that male programmers may feel threatened by a woman as smart as them […]

Speaking as a woman who aced the toughest courses in computer science that our M.Sc. programme had to offer and graduated top of my class with highest average grade possible, I have never, ever encountered any male programmer who felt in any way whatsoever threatened by me, and have only been met with uttermost respect. The guys I studied with thought I was way cool and were genuinely happy about having me around.

Don’t harp on about being a woman; consider and treat yourself as an equal at every opportunity as differentiating yourself can have a negative effect.

I’ve generally ignored the fact that I’m a woman and focused on getting on with my job.

WTF?! I am a woman, and no matter what I do, what I say, how I act, nothing will change that fact. And ignoring the elephant in the room won’t make it go away. I am different, different from any other individual, male or female. It’s our differences that makes team work effective, fosters creativity and leads to great things. Imagine a world of clones. How sad.

And actually, being part of a minority can help your career. You’re highly visible, and have a great opportunity to speak up, show how competent you are, and make a real difference in your organisation. Do you think most men in a large company with mainly male employees ever get such a chance to shine?

[P]rove that women can do it.

How about me proving that I can do it? Yes, I’m a woman, but just because I succeed or fail, doesn’t mean that all women will as well. I want to prove my own worth, not fight a battle representing a whopping 50 percent of the world’s population.

And finally, here is my absolute favourite quote:

Think like a man. Don’t take anything personal, start the day without emotions.

No comments. This is just too absurd, I’m completely speechless. Or wait, maybe I’m just overcome with emotions… Arrrghhh! I sense an emotion! Take cover!!

Sorry, end rant. A little bit less upset now. I’m not saying that there aren’t any difficulties achieving success as a woman when most of your colleagues are men. There are. Having been in male-dominated environments since I was 18, I’ve got my share of experience dealing with various issues that arise when you’re in the minority. But I definitely do not believe that letting go of who you are and trying to conform to a “male” standard is the solution. So what do I believe in? Let me calm down a bit, and I’ll follow up on this post shortly. ;)