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 Describe your background and how you got into ITI have always been good at IT, especially the analytical side of things, but my computer knowledge has just evolved. I have not applied for IT jobs in particular, but once employers have seen how ‘technologically-minded’ I was they soon made the best use of my skills. ALL the IT training I have received has been in-house for various companies.
What is your current position / situation?I currently run a team of forensic data reporters for a mobile phone and computer forensic firm. We retrieve, overhaul and present the evidential data from exhibits for the police and other organisations.
What do you like best about working in IT?It never stays the same. In the four years I have been at my present job, the role has evolved and grown, and also the technology that we work with – including the exhibits themselves – has advanced so much even in this short space of time.
Why did you choose a career in IT in the first place?I have always worked with computers, but this is the first in-depth technical role I have held. And as my first response, it just progressed.
What have been the highlights of your career so far?The promotions through the ranks to not only work in such a successful, technical team – but to manage it as well. I have recently completed a post-graduate diploma in forensic linguistics and transcription, such is my interest in the sector I work in.
What are your career aspirations?The whole process of ‘falling into’ my current role has shown me that you don’t always suit a particular career path, and that taking advantage of interesting opportunities can take you to places you may not have even been aware of! If truth be known, I would actually like to be successful in a completely different role. I have nearly finished writing my first fiction book and dream of being a published author.
What are your tips for success?Competent English skills are vital for success, even if you use a computer all the time. To be seen as professional, you must have a proper grasp of spelling, tone and grammar. Your messages may be on screen but they are still ‘written’; because of the anonymous nature of an IT-based job, your writing can be all someone has to make a judgement of you – and that includes potential employers or clients.
What books / websites etc. would you recommend to a woman just starting out in IT?
The Writing Hall can help you with the answer to the previous question - they carry out one-to-one writing coaching. I would also recommend having a blog. If you can help people find solutions to their technical problems via articles written for your blog, you will soon get a name for yourself as being an expert in your field. Then opportunities tend to come to you!
Can you share a few words of wisdom for those people who are thinking about pursuing a career in IT?
Be prepared to constantly learn. This is not the career for someone who wants to do the same thing day in, day out. Technology moves so fast that if you don’t keep up, you could be out of a job! The best thing about IT is, because it constantly changes, it is always interesting. It is the kind of job that you can do anywhere and it is an industry that will just continue to grow.
How important do think your education or background has been in influencing your career choices?I don’t think this is the ‘right’ answer, but I don’t have any qualifications after secondary school. I found in all my jobs that my skills showed through, rather than what my employers read on my CV. I have also sent the other side of that coin; colleagues who have degrees in computer sciences that aren’t that great with a computer, defying an employer’s high expectations.
Do you think it might have been a different story, of "how you got to where you are now", if you'd been a man?I do think I wouldn’t have had to ‘prove’ myself so much, but I have been fortunate to work for some great bosses.
Tell us a little about your life outside of work.I spend most of my time on a computer! Usually it is to work on my novel, but I have so many profiles on various social networking sites that it takes some time to keep up to! This has been rewarding though – I have found some valuable contacts on my virtual travels. I have two girls, aged ten and five, who both love technology as much as me!
Do you think that there are obvious differences between what men and women have to offer an IT department?Not at all. I am interested in the person and what they can do, not their gender which I don’t think makes a difference. I am aware, however, that not all people think like me.
Are you aware of any preconceptions or stereotypes of women in IT, and if so what do you think of them?
Having had two children, and having to take some time out from my career for them, I am conscious that my male counterparts gained some ground that I missed. But nature dictates that, not an employer. What annoys me (and again which is not wholly the fault of the employer) is when your child is ill, or there are commitments at school, you get unconsciously penalised for attending to the situation. But if a man does this for his family it is deemed heroic and tender, certainly not an inconvenience. There are too many double standards when it comes to being a mother in IT, rather than a woman in IT – though you could argue that this situation would apply to the majority of jobs.
What do you think could be done to actively encourage more women to join the technology market place in general?
I think women would be tempted at any job given the economy. I can see how some women may feel intimidated at the thought of working in a male-dominated sector, but role models and case studies of successful women will continue to be a great help.
Do you think enough is currently being done to counterbalance what has become an obvious lack of women in technology?No, I don’t think any employer actively encourages women to work in technology. This comes down to lots of different issues, some of which I have covered in other answers.
If you could give young women looking for a position in the IT market place a single piece of advice what would it be?Women are great at multi-tasking and constantly solve problems that they come across in everyday life – they can be as good as, if not better, than any man in the IT industry given the same training and opportuntities.
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