5 Career Tips for Women in the Tech Industry
One of the most difficult things about a career, in my opinion, is the longevity of it. It takes years to build and never really ends. You need patience and focus, but career success doesn’t happen overnight. There may be times that you pivot and change careers altogether.
A career is similar to running a never-ending marathon. You take one step at a time and in difficult parts, you focus on small goals like running to a certain mark or “making it to the curve.”
With this in mind, here are five tips to help you navigate what I’m calling your career marathon.
1. Don’t Let Self Doubt Get in the Way
It’s well documented that women underestimate their abilities in comparison to others. Whether it’s lack of confidence or just questioning if you really belong, it’s normal to have doubts. What’s most important is that you don’t let doubts get in the way.
2. Never Stop Learning
The tech industry is ever-evolving, and keeping up with the latest technology is important regardless of your role. Carving out time to focus on learning is important, and most people in leadership don’t say no when asked if their teams can learn.
3. Get Comfortable with Criticism
In many business settings, constructive criticism isn’t always constructive. It can be devastating and time-consuming to emotionally recover. It takes some patience and time to learn how to get comfortable with listening to criticism and turning them into strengths. Let these difficult conversations fuel your tenacity to help you improve yourself and meet the next challenge.
4. Find Your Passion in Your Career, Organization
A perfect career is one that is a hobby you can support yourself and your family with. It’s something that means something to you personally and isn’t just a job. It’s also important to consider who you choose to give your passion, time, and experience to.
5. Take Control of Your Future
Bumps in your path to reaching your goals will happen. You can’t control problems that unexpectedly come up, though you can control how you deal with them. Don’t be afraid to make horizontal moves. Don’t be afraid to be flexible with roles that may not be in your comfort zone. If you want a certain future, it’s in your control to make it happen with the choices you make today.
Do you have any advice for how you navigate your career and do the never-ending marathon?
