Women in IT: Fostering the Next Generation of IT Leaders

February 12, 2020

It’s not news that women are vastly underrepresented across the IT workforce. The most recent Women in Tech Index revealed that women in IT make up just 31 percent of the IT workforce, across 41 countries surveyed. And, a study conducted by the American Association of University Women found that the number of American women in computing has fallen from 35 percent in 1990 to just 26 percent.

Worse still, women make up just 9 percent of global IT leadership, in an echo of the C-suite gender problem that persists today across industries. So, how can women in IT advance in their careers? Forming professional connections through networking and mentoring is one of the most impactful steps a young woman in IT can take.

Have you ever looked at someone and wondered what steps they took to get to their position? Talking to women who have been in your shoes – or who occupy the job you’d like to have some day – can help open doors, by allowing you to reimagine what’s possible and understand the steps required to get there. Mentors provide invaluable guidance as you contemplate job offers and options, negotiate salaries and benefits, and deal with unexpected challenges along the way.

But, using networking and mentoring tools effectively can be easier said than done. How do you build relationships with mentors and peers that serve you both professionally? How can you best leverage those connections to find the job you think you’d be great at?

Key Resources President Cynthia Overby will be moderating a webinar, titled “Women in Technology Panel: Accelerate Your Career” on February 18 at 11 am CT, that will explore these questions, and more. The webinar will feature four successful women panelists, including Anne E. Caluori, Senior Alchemist, SumThinking; Deborah Carbo, Director, Product Management, Broadcom Inc.; Julie Bergh, Security Executive, Rocket Software; and Tina M. Tarquinio, Director, IBM Z, IBM.

Join this group of powerful women as they discuss the unique challenges and opportunities they’ve experienced as women in IT. They’ll share how they learned to own their success, talk about their accomplishments and practice self-promotion. We’ll also cover:

• How to build relationships that create opportunities
• Words matter: Why it is important for women to negotiate
• Why emotional intelligence is so important for women