Last week I had a lot of fun being interviewed by a number of different people in the blogosphere and in person. I took part in:
1.āPeople who excel in different areasā with Julian
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I first met Julian when he stopped me at my Studentsā Union to tell me that he reads my blog. We met up again for the informal 2-hour interview where I talked about EVERYTHING. It was a lot of fun!
I also like his cool Ninja Turtles shirt.
2. This monthās āHey Girlfriend!ā post with Georgie
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Iām sure youāre no stranger to the wonderful, bad-ass, inspo-ball: Georgie Luhur.
Iāve enjoyed following Georgieās Hey Girlfriend posts every month, they are always such a refreshing read where I get to find out about incredible women doing incredible things. Although imposter syndrome kind of hit me in the face when she approached me, Iām so grateful that she has decided to include me on this monthās post!
I had a lot of fun answering Georgieās questions, as I was typing them out I got a bit carried away (sort of like when youāre catching up with a friend you havenāt seen in a while) so apologies if itās long! You can read the full interview here.
3. āLetās Talk Confidenceā with Jasmine
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I love getting involved with other bloggerās projects especially with a subject close to my heart. Iāll be posting the full interview on my blog soon but you can read other bloggers answers on Jasmineās blog here.
4. This monthās Cyber Women Interview with Ella
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Today, I decided to take some snippets from my interview with Ella, that highlight my challenges as a woman.
For those who donāt know ā Ella Louise is a Psychology undergraduate and Sociology postgraduate student who is keen on a digital career. She is yet another empowering voice for equality for all in tech, I recently connected with her on Twitter and have enjoyed bonding with her over mindfulness and gratitude! Iām thankful to take part in her series! You can read the full interview here.
As a woman, do you think you have faced any challenges that a man would not face in your position?
I think generally women have to go through a lot more; not only because of certain external preconception but also lack of confidence and belief in their own abilities (I know this was the case for me) and the trait of needing to be perfect before going for something ā and Iām not just talking job-hunting; itās applicable to different aspects of life which can be stressful! (e.g. in projects)
During International Womenās Day, Tejay White, a fellow instructor of the CFG Sheffield course, highlighted that men are more likely to apply for jobs that they are not 100% qualified for but do so anyway. Whereas women have the tendency to want to tick all the boxes and thus often miss out on opportunities. The shift to move this mindset is a challenge!
I think another thing is being taken seriously.
I have had countless experiences of not being taken seriously by people I have had to work with. Why? Because they had a lack of faith in my abilities, coding a website or leading a group project being two of a few examples. This greatly affected my confidence in myself and it was a challenge for me for years to fight that negative mindset and to boost my self-confidence.
This is actually why I hadnāt actually told people I could code at University before going in the CFG course (which boosted my confidence massively!) fear of not being taken seriously, made fun of and called out for not knowing āall the codeā I remember being made fun of by boys and girls at school when Iād tell them about a website I created, calling me all sorts including: āa tomboyā āa guy in disguiseā š and āfakeā. This a challenge a lot of aspiring girls (not just women!) coders/developers may have ā it sucks but finding your support group and a safe environment is key.
Itās also worth mentioning that yeah, women face a lot of challenges every day in comparison to men ā not just in the working life ā but personally too. Also, the inequality and challenges we face are not just focused on gender but also race. I know that challenges I face as a Filipino-Spanish woman greatly differs from white women.
What HAS been your biggest challenge so far?
Iāve faced a lot of challenges in the last year alone. But the biggest challenge that pops into mind almost immediately is the shift in my mindset. This time last year I was in a horrible, depressive state that inhibited my ability to do anything and everything I used to enjoy. Shifting my mental state from my āthereās no point, I want this all to end nowā to āthereās so much left for me to doā, from dark to light was the biggest challenge this year.
Your mind doesnāt have to be your worse enemy, make it your best friend.
With regards to technology, what do you think will be our biggest barrier to success in the future?
Lack of diversity.
We cannot thrive in technological and scientific advancements or even as a society without diversity.
An example I can think of is the all-girl Afghan robotics team who just were allowed entry to the US. Giving them that opportunity will allow them to show off what they are capable of, is just the beginning.
Blocking off opportunities because they are female and/or because they are from a certain country is a barrier to collaborative work and our success in technology in the future. Diversity is key ā keep pushing it in your teams!
Who makes up your support squad?
Ahh I have so many people who support me and I am so thankful, I wish I could name everyone but I fear of missing out someone by accident! But my support squad ranges from online buddies Iāve known for years from the blogosphere, friends from my degree (they help me get through those long nights of āwtf-ingā at my biology), my SUPER AMAZING PHENOMENAL #ShefCodeFirst team and a special mention to Hamdah, my best friend, who has supported me since we first met in Spanish class at school years ago.
Also, I met a guy last year. The guy who-is-more-than-a-friend, Matt, has been one of my biggest supporters, my confidence has skyrocketed and Iāve become a more positive, better version of myself thanks to his support. Heās my biggest fan. Well, of course after myself but yāknow.
Whatās your favourite piece of advice to offer entrepreneurial/techy women?
I went to a Women in Tech conference in February where I had the opportunity to listen to a number of incredible women about their struggles, challenges and how they overcame them. One piece of advice that stuck by me since by Jessica Rose is that āAs long as youāre not visibly freaking out, people think you know what youāre doing.ā Confidence is everything. šš¼ I know that since my confidence and belief in my own abilities has improved greatly this year, Iāve seen results materialise in front of me:
- Iām taken more seriously, and if Iām not, I ensure that I am (assertiveness!) which has helped me secure more projects and get recommendations
- I cut bullsh*t fast. Gone are the days of āoh, okā and passively just going with the flow even if itās turning into something quite toxic. Waste my time? Nope. You canāt: I have the stuff to do, people to meet, things to action.
Confidence is key. Become aware of how badass you are. Self-awareness is the step up towards your goals, whatever they may be. You can do the thing (whatever it may be), in tech or as an entrepreneur or even as a student trying to scrape that 2:1, be confident. As the saying goes: fake it till you make it. š
Thank you for getting me involved Ella! Make sure you follow her on Twitter and check out her blog here.
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