Diverse Career Paths for Women in Tech

Tech is a booming industry that is consistently in demand of labor, so if you are in search of a new career path, tech careers are probably high on your list. Yet, if you identify as a woman, you could find your journey into tech a bit more complicated than you might hope.

Like so many other career fields, tech is dominated by men. There are countless downsides to this, not least of which is the injustice women face looking for lucrative career opportunities. Almost every tech job promises a good salary and high potential for career growth, and women deserve equitable access to rewarding roles in this field.

Before you try to muscle your way into tech as a woman, you should know a bit more about what you are facing. Then, you can choose a career path in tech that best suits your interests and needs.

Why Tech Continues to Have a Gender Bias

The gender gap in tech is not a newly discovered phenomenon. For decades, women have noticed a distinct dearth of representation within tech companies, and not just at the highest levels. Women comprise only about 33% of the workforce at large tech companies, and only 86 women are promoted into management for every 100 men in management roles.

The most likely culprit for the persistence of gender bias in tech is an unwillingness among tech company leadership — generally male leadership — to change. The burden of reaching gender parity is placed squarely on women’s shoulders; they are expected to earn graduate degrees in tech fields, practice tech skills, behave more assertively, navigate an unwelcoming corporate culture, etc. In short, women in tech are expected to manage the severe challenges of integrating into the industry with limited or no support from their employers.

Inevitably, many women who enter tech are disappointed by the environment and choose to leave. Some women consider using their tech knowledge and skills in other ways, like in a career in academia. Indeed, working in academia can provide opportunities to influence the tech field through research while inspiring the next generations of tech workers. However, academia is not a viable solution for all women, many of whom are not interested in teaching or cannot spend years pursuing advanced degrees to qualify for these positions.

There are some companies striving to bring more women into the industry. As you begin your career in tech, you might prioritize applications for tech firms that work hard to create a female-friendly workplace. Some signs of a company attempting to bridge the employment, promotion, and retention gaps between the genders include:

A near-equal representation of women and men at all levels;
Pay transparency to ensure equal pay for equal work;
Explicit policies and programs to support gender equity;
Open and honest discourse about female experiences in the workplace;
Aggressive elimination of any type of harassing behavior.

Whether you find work with a female-friendly tech firm or acquire employment with a company that has a less-than-pristine reputation for gender equality, you can make a difference. By continuing to be a woman in tech, you pave the way for the next generation of women, who might achieve greater success more easily.

Which Tech Fields Need More Female Faces

There is no tech field that has reached true gender parity, which means your presence can be impactful no matter which path into tech you choose. Still, there are a few fields in technology that offer more notable advantages to women, such as greater demand and higher pay. These include:

Artificial Intelligence. By introducing more women into AI development, AI-driven products can shed the gender bias that currently plagues their algorithms and deliver more accurate, more effective solutions.

Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing tech fields and is undeniably important to the future of the digital world. Women can offer diverse problem-solving skills that lead to innovative defensive tactics to thwart attacks.

UX/UI Design. Women know best what women need. Female UX and UI designers can improve products for female consumers and also provide diverse perspectives across products.

Data Science. Data is shaping the world, so it is imperative that women be involved in data science to improve equity into the future. Data-related roles are in demand outside of tech, so training for this field could vastly increase your career opportunities.

Network Engineering. As a highly technical and critical role, network engineering could turn the tide of gender bias by integrating more women into its ranks.

Project Management. Many women in project management are perfectly suited for the role, possessing the emotional intelligence, communication skills, and sharp attention to detail the job requires. With a few certifications, you could access this rapidly growing career field.

Women do benefit from credentials like degrees and certifications. Women need to learn the knowledge and skills to function in certain fields. The sooner you prepare yourself with these qualifications, the sooner you make yourself eligible for a tech career — but these alone won’t solve the gender problem across the tech industry. As soon as you can, you should work with your company’s leadership to make your workplace a more women-friendly place for you and for the female workers who will come after you.