March 09, 2020

Have you seen any studies on the benefit of having men in tech? No? I haven’t even either. But I often see articles on the advantages of diversity or what women can bring to tech. Studies are still trying to convince companies on why we matter in tech.

Yes, there are definitely advantages to having us. I want us to move past proving to companies that we matter. Of course, we do. We deserve an equal opportunity to be in tech like you.

Here are 3 actions that you can take today to help create a better environment for women in tech:

1. Do Your Homework

Women in tech are tired. They want to code and build cool applications like you. The extra burden of educating men on the issues women face and what they can do is exhausting. It has become a second job for many. If you are not sure about something please make sure to look it up. Here are a few items to start you off:

  • The Leaky Tech Pipeline Framework by the Kapor Center is a report on understanding and addressing the lack of diversity in tech. It talks about the barriers we face in enrolling and completing computing degrees and the barriers we face in getting hired. It’s just 35 pages long. It’s a must-read on understanding the issue.
  • Project Include has recommendations on incorporating a culture of inclusiveness in your company, on how to hire, onboard and compensate fairly.
  • A combination of race and gender bias can have a compounding effect and cause even more harm on women of color. Make sure you are supporting women of color and not just white women in tech. Watch this TED talk about intersectionality by Kimberlé Crenshaw who introduced this concept.
  • Selfdefined created by Tatiana Mac is a modern dictionary that you can use to figure out an inclusive way to communicate. The app points out the words to avoid and their alternatives. I also recommend watching all of Tatiana’s talks.
  • Advocate for accessibility in your applications. Regine M. Gilbert recently released a great book on designing with accessibility in mind.
  • Learn how to make your products accessible for queer folks in tech. Roniece Ricardo talks about the steps you can take for a better queer user experience. Sabrina Fonseca explains how you can design forms for gender diversity and inclusion.

2. Remove barriers for hiring from within

I’ve been a Software Engineer for over 15 years. I’ve worked at 5 different companies over that time. I was either the only woman or the only woman of color in tech at each of them. I noticed that most of my colleagues did not have a Computer Science degree even though I did.

There is a saying that men get hired on potential and women based on proof. I’ve experienced it to be true. I’d like you to remove some of the barriers that women face.

  • Go to your careers page. Review your job listings. If you see a requirement of a CS degree, ask your recruiters to remove it. If you see any requirements that you know you don’t need to do your job, request them to remove them.
  • In this poll that Cassidy Williams did, ~4400 folks out of 7800 are still at their job because they don’t want to deal with the tech interview process. Make your interview process humane. Read these suggestions on how to improve your technical interviews. Discuss them with your team and make changes.
  • There are a lot of women who are having a hard time getting their first job in tech. Share entry-level roles on Twitter with the hashtag #DiversifyTech. I will look for them and share them with my community. Also, post them on Diversify Tech’s job board.

3. Amplify

I have a large following on Twitter. My followers are evenly distributed between men and women. However, I often see that most of my re-tweets come from women. I see that in the work environment too. Your network most likely consists of other men. If there is a new opportunity, you will pass it on to them.

  • Make a conscious effort to do the same for women. Your network probably has the people who make hiring decisions.
  • Follow more women in tech. Start with the Tech Bloggers, fempire and Tech Ladies lists. If you see folks showcasing their work or looking for jobs, make sure to re-tweet them.
  • Understand the difference between a mentor and a sponsor. Mentors advise others and sponsors advocate for others. Don’t forget to sponsor women in tech!

There is more to learn..

If you’d like to continue to learn and take action to help minoritized folks, join Diversify Tech’s newsletter. Select the Business and Ally edition checkboxes.

Categorized in:

Diversify, Equity & Inclusion