FUTURE TECHNOLOGY
Amanda Adams , Senior Director , European Alliances , at CrowdStrike to end up in STEM ; throughout school I was very much into athletics and played volleyball through college !
However , through a mentor of mine which I had at that time , I was brought on at Cisco to support US Channel Partner Marketing efforts . It was really that connection that led me into the career I have in technology today .
Why is the technology industry such a male-dominated field ?
The hardest thing about getting women into technology is that first role . You simply don ’ t have the network you need to begin with and , as a result , you don ’ t really know what ’ s achievable . For example , there are so many roles that you can discover within cybersecurity that make a huge difference and aren ’ t necessarily STEM-focused ; there is an important education piece here so that women are aware of the opportunities
that are available to them . By participating in women in cybersecurity or technology groups and showcasing the impact women can make in all functions – we can increase the visibility of what is possible !
Education and programmes focused on increasing participation by girls in STEM fields needs to begin in early education at school . Research shows that girls and women lose interest in STEM subjects as they get older . We need to be sure that we are nurturing passion for STEM early on so that it stays with them as they progress .
Have you faced challenges within the industry because you are a woman ?
I think that , generally , there is a higher standard for women . Women are still expected to be primary caregivers as well as being fully present at work . To me , having work life balance is a myth and one cannot have it all . If you are focused on work fully , your personal obligations will suffer and vice-versa . Finding an employer who is empathetic towards flexing with the reality of personal obligations ( especially now that most children are at home in virtual schools during COVID-19 ) and works with you to build a plan for success together , is critical .
Most start-up companies tend to rely heavily on employee referrals for open positions and tend to hire people that they know and can vouch for . When an industry is dominated by a specific demographic who do not have a diverse network to refer from , this can make things really challenging for those who don ’ t quite fit the mould . This is why it ’ s super important to have a really strong diverse network .
What advice would you offer women who might be interested in pursuing a career in technology and in particular , the channel ?
For technology more broadly , I would really suggest investing time in finding programmes that help to nurture and empower STEM skills . CrowdStrike actually supports a few such initiatives . One of the programmes CrowdStrike supports is Black Girls Code , and there are many similar ways that the tech industry is reaching out to increase diversity and make the industry reflective of , and better serving , all of society . I would also really recommend trying to find a mentor or support group . I have a great group of women I still call on that I met at college , and in my very first job , that I still talk to and ask for advice .
When it comes to the channel specifically , if you ’ re interested in getting involved , invest time in having conversations with people in your existing organisation . Something similar happened to me recently when a member of our SDR ( sales development ) team got in touch enquiring about working in the channel and I walked her through a ‘ day in the life ’. There are also lots of different ‘ Women in the Channel ’ groups on platforms such as LinkedIn . •
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS Issue 37
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