Circumnavigating the Glass Ceiling in a IT world
August 11, 2015
These are the numbers. In 2015, only 28% of all IT and Digital Media industry workers are women. These women are paid 20% less than their male peers. The Glass Ceiling is used to describe the invisible barriers that inhibit women from advancing the corporate ladder, and this is no exception to women in the ID industry. However, all is not lost. One inspiring video I watched recently was a TED Talk by Susan Colantuono, who offers career advice that you have probably not heard before:
In summary, Colantuono argues that there are three components to success for women. These are (1) Smart, hard working, committed individuals that are trustworthy and resilient, (2) Individuals who have great customer management, who can empower teams, negotiate and manage conflict well, and (3) Individuals who understand the business and their role in getting there; individuals who can identify risk and opportunity and generate strategy.
For Colantuono, the very third component is what women lack and need to hear. She asserts that the key to unlocking career advancement is an individual’s “business, strategic and financial acumen.” For women in the Tech world, this means being aware of how you can take a Tech company to new heights with a thorough understanding of a company’s business, the risks and opportunities available to it and the strategies that are necessary to reach new goals.
For many, mentorship of women puts a lot of emphasis on the first two components. Colantuono offers an example where a male mentor said he “helped the woman build confidence… [and] helped the man learn the business.” Career advice puts a lot of emphasis on the personal skills of women without helping them augmenting their expertise.
This is true in the Tech world too. Advancement requires good personal skills and confidence. Advancement also needs to be paired with expertise and knowledge. Expertise and knowledge; business, strategic and financial acumen. That opens doors.
The glass ceiling is a hard, unfortunate truth of many industries, and the Tech world is not exempt from it. Take charge of your own career choice. Susan Colantuono inspires me with some valuable advice and I strongly urge you to watch her video.
For the women out there, what are some of your strategies to advance the corporate ladder? Is there any other advice you would give from your own experiences? Share with us some of your experiences!
Sabrina Matuda
IT Recruitment Consultant
I am a real people person and spent over a decade in language studies, coaching and sales. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Languages and Literature, a Master's degree in English and a PhD in Translation studies (#nerd). However, a serendipitous event got me into IT recruitment. And I’m loving it! Why? Recruiting has allowed me to leverage my passion for building and maintaining rewarding relationships with my clients while remaining challenged to find the perfect candidates and, in my case, it has also allowed me to keep updated with all the technology trends out there. I take pride in ensuring that placements are a strong match for both parties. There’s nothing more exciting than helping smart people find their next challenge. If I’m not working, I’m probably learning a new language, enjoying a glass of nice champagne or traveling. Also, I love meeting new people and learning new things, so feel free to connect and share your experience. :) If you are looking at hiring or contemplating your next career move in IT hit me up on sabrina@citirecruitment.com.
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Adrian Spurrier - Head of IT Talent
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Sabrina Matuda
IT Recruitment Consultant
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"Our strength lies in understanding the complete client environment, which includes not only the technology but also the mindset of the individuals working in IT environments. We provide a hiring solution that serves both the needs of its clients and candidates. We provide a premium IT talent management service supported by well thought out business processes and operating methodologies." - Steve Wilson, Founder CITI Recruitment
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Adrian Spurrier - Head of IT Talent
I’ve successfully built up 8 years of local industry knowledge specialising in the recruitment of Infrastructure professionals with a focus on Open Source, emerging and Cloud Technologies and DevOps Engineers. Combining strong sales skills with excellent technical knowledge, I provide exceptional service to both my clients and candidates. Please contact me for more info - adrian@citirecruitment.com
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Sabrina Matuda
I am a real people person and spent over a decade in language studies, coaching and sales. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Languages and Literature, a Master's degree in English and a PhD in Translation studies (#nerd). However, a serendipitous event got me into IT recruitment. And I’m loving it! Why? Recruiting has allowed me to leverage my passion for building and maintaining rewarding relationships with my clients while remaining challenged to find the perfect candidates and, in my case, it has also allowed me to keep updated with all the technology trends out there. I take pride in ensuring that placements are a strong match for both parties. There’s nothing more exciting than helping smart people find their next challenge. If I’m not working, I’m probably learning a new language, enjoying a glass of nice champagne or traveling. Also, I love meeting new people and learning new things, so feel free to connect and share your experience. :) If you are looking at hiring or contemplating your next career move in IT hit me up on sabrina@citirecruitment.com.
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