Being an IT Girl

Hi Everyone

I though that I would kick of my first blog post with a telling of my experience with being a female, and in the field of IT.

I am new to Microsoft, and have just attended my first Microsoft Women's Conference. The fact that a company the size of Microsoft would hold an event this size (thousands attended!) is astounding.

It's been over 12 years since I started my career in IT as a helpdesk technician. Back then, the helpdesk was predominantly female. But it was rare to see women progress too far from the helpdesk (other than to go into management). That didn't stop me. I chose the more technical route in my career. Luckily, I was working with people who encouraged based on strengths, and not gender.

I have been the only girl on teams for the majority of my career. Instead of feeling like the odd man out, I see myself as being a trailblazer. For years, I was the only female MCSE in the entire company (and I believe I was still the only one even when I left after 10 years). Back in 1997 when I got my first MCSE, there were approximately 11,000 certified professionals. Only 11% or so of that number were women (some reports say 8%). Of course, that is not as true now, and certification is most certainly not a definitive indicator. However, it says a lot about the gap between men and women IT professionals even historically.

So why aren't there more women in IT? Is it because women are not well suited to technical careers? Is it because there is gender bias in both the academic and professional arenas? Is it a lack of encouragement from other women (even men) in the field?

Is it because we don't have to wait in line to go to the bathroom at technical conferences?

Don't get me wrong, I am most certainly NOT a women's lib fanatic. I am a firm believer in judging based on merit. This is not intended to be a "Women are Better Than Men" discussion.

So, what's the problem?

Let's take this one question at a time.

Women are not as well suited to technical careers...

Women tend to be more right-brained (the touchy feely part of the brain) than left. Men are predominantly the opposite.

Believe me, I am a shining example of that concept. I have to really struggle to grasp technical concepts. It takes me longer than others to get it. But that just means that I have to use the strongest of my other skills to help me out: communication and the ability to connect with people. When I don't know, I ASK. I have built a network of people (what one very smart Architect at Microsoft said, a "Golden Rolodex") that I know who are the experts.

That has resulted in strongly honed communication skills. Something that I think we can agree that women are sometimes better at than men. This skill is becoming a highly valued asset within IT.

So how do women get better technically? I don't have a good answer for that. Perhaps more encouragement in the academic formative years is the answer, perhaps not.

Which leads to the next question...

Gender bias in the professional and academic arenas

I think that every woman has experienced at least one time in their professional career where they weren't taken seriously because they were, well, a girl. I can remember a manager who would never respond to me when I communicated to him, only to my director (who was a guy). I still face these challenges today.

Back in grammar school, our class was the first to have a computer class offered, and the boys were especially encouraged to take them.

The number of females in the Computer Science track at colleges and universities is on the decline.

Are these people evil? Of course not. But it goes to prove that they contribute and sometimes undermine, the success of the woman in IT.

So could it be that we as women, are contributing to undermining our own success and future?

Wow. As I wrote that, I realized that it can be construed as being the diminuative female, taking the blame for everything.

But really, let's be serious. In my opinion, I think that there aren't enough women out there mentoring other women just getting started in the field. Where are all of the trailblazers? Why aren't we speaking up more? We should be sharing our successes and pitfalls, sharing resources, and doing what we do naturally, connect with others.

Ladies, we are falling short. Make it part of your career goals to mentor someone (even if it's a guy), lead by example, be heard!

I think that I am seeing just the beginning of this movement (a women's conference that my company sponsored), but not nearly fast enough. Women have a lot to contribute to IT now and in the future. Let's start to pick up the pace!

I am interested in comments and suggestions...