Women in Tech

Being the Only Woman In the Room

This article discusses the challenges that women face in the workplace and offers advice on how to overcome them. It suggests that women should focus on doing things that are smart and be themselves, rather than trying to prove themselves. It also encourages women to be transparent and direct with their colleagues, and to remain calm if something unfair or embarrassing happens. Finally, it suggests that women should give people the benefit of the doubt and not let emotions influence their decisions.

Building a Gender-Balanced Engineering Organization in the Middle East

Jordan's tech scene has a gender distribution of 50:50 in colleges, but this does not translate to the workforce due to women not being expected to stay late at the office. To challenge this, the core team responsible for establishing the Expedia Jordan office focused on making sure to build a sustainable gender-equal presence from the get-go. This included top-of-funnel sourcing, resume screening, tech tasks, and onsite interviews. The outcome was a 50:50 gender balance, showing that women engineers were succeeding in the recruiting process at a higher rate than men. This highlights the untapped talent pool of female engineers in Jordan.

The Power of Mentorship

This article discusses the importance of mentorship and encourages leaders to invest their time and energy in this activity. It highlights the benefits of mentorship, such as diversifying teams and boards, and emphasizes the importance of helping young professionals cultivate their leadership skills. The article also stresses that mentorship is an easy place to start and does not require a monetary investment.

The State of Women in Tech

This article discusses the lack of women in the tech industry and the barriers that keep them out. It suggests that companies need to create more female-friendly environments, provide improved working incentives, and encourage young girls to pursue computer science. Additionally, it highlights the fact that women-led tech startups receive 16 times less funding than those led by men. The article concludes by emphasizing the need to break down the institutional barriers that keep women out of the tech industry.

How to Feel Heard During Video Meetings

This article discusses the challenges of imposter syndrome and speaking up during remote Zoom meetings, which is especially difficult for PMs. It outlines the steps taken to address the issue, such as talking to people within the organization, understanding proper Zoom etiquette, and advocating for oneself and others. It also emphasizes the importance of finding a mentor, using online and offline resources, and not questioning oneself.

Don’t Hire One Woman. Hire Three.

When the author was leading an all-male DevOps team at Square, they were trying to close a female candidate. To ensure she would thrive in the team, the author decided to hire three women - the candidate, an intern, and a bootcamp graduate. This changed the team's culture dramatically, making it more enjoyable to work in and more open and less defensive. The author learned that inclusion and diversity can help everyone, not just certain minorities.