As both a woman and a long-time veteran of the male-dominated high tech industry (with nearly thirty years in telecom, energy, and IT), I’m an unusual statistic. Even more unusual, perhaps, is my pedigree. I hold B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer Science (plus an MBA), and for three decades I’ve held technical jobs in the industry, ranging from software development to technical product management. I wish I weren’t an anomaly.
Unfortunately, few women - particularly those who are American born and raised - major in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. That’s partly why the board rooms of tech firms are so barren of female leaders. A handful of prominent women like Sheryl Sanders hold executive positions at tech companies, but even Ms. Sanders’ role at Facebook is non-technical, and she majored in economics rather than a STEM discipline. However, a poor pipeline of female STEM candidates is merely a symptom, not the root cause of the low number of women in the industry.
Below are my observations and thoughts about why so few women enter and stay in tech, and why so few of us have STEM educations:
The “brogrammer” cult-like culture of Silicon Valley discourages women from joining. By “brogrammer,” I mean the twenty and thirty-something guys who stay up till three in the morning eating pizza, coding, and playing video games. They may also shoot pool or play foozball during their free time at work, while slurping down caffeine and cracking geeky jokes. (While this is a stereotype, it’s also a perception that carries some root of truth). Women who don’t identify with the brogrammer culture, who can’t see themselves playing video games, cracking inside jokes about Monty Python with “the guys,”, or holing up in the office till the wee hours, may decide not to pursue careers in high tech at all. This creates a chicken and egg scenario.
Stereotypes persist of women not being proficient in math and science. From the time they are little girls, women are often encouraged to play with dolls and mini kitchen toys instead of solving puzzles or tinkering with science kits. They are drilled in rote memorization - learning their ABCs, counting, and other mnemonic exercises. As they enter middle school and high school, their perception that boys are superior in problem solving continues and even increases. Many girls, modeling after the mothers, female relatives, and teachers in their lives, may grow frustrated with math and science classes and decide they don’t like these disciplines. In fact, about a decade ago, a Barbie doll was programmed to say, with the pull of a string, “Math is hard.” The perception that boys are naturally more proficient than girls at analytical thinking and problem solving is a myth that needs to be debunked; but sadly, people continue to perpetuate it.
Then there’s the question of why women who do major in STEM and enter high tech careers don’t stay in the industry. Of the dozen or more women I know who joined Nortel Networks in the summer of 1992, I and maybe one other are the only ones remaining in a tech job.
The brogrammer culture may play a role in causing women to exit the industry, as women in tech firms may feel alone and socially isolated. But the other gender-biased stereotypes that often persist in the workplace are to blame, as well. For example, women are sometimes more soft-spoken and less competitive than men in voicing their opinions in meetings. As a result, their ideas may be dismissed, or worse, co-opted by an aggressive male counterpart. Women may not ask for promotions for themselves, either, unlike their male counterparts who have no qualms in doing so.
Likewise, the societal expectations that women grow up with - helping others, collaborating, not rocking the boat, falling in line, memorizing lessons - unfortunately can be their demise in the workforce, as they may be labeled un-creative “followers,” whereas men who ignore these rules are often seen as confident and innovative thought leaders.
On the other hand, women who do speak up and claim their opinions are sometimes seen as unnaturally bossy or hostile, while men who do the same are often commended and rewarded. In fact, women who assert themselves may still be passed over for opportunities like speaking engagements with customers or presentations to executives.
Then there’s the blatant discrimination. The white male managers in power (of typically every high tech department from Product Management to Marketing to Services and Operations, except Engineering) may smirk as women speak, or actively ignore them by playing on their phones or laptops. Maybe these men have decided that they can afford to do so, as women largely do not hold positions of power; and therefore, men’s antisocial behavior in their female co-workers’ presence will not result in repercussions.
The truth is, many of the largely male leaders in tech firms still hold negative perceptions of women as not being analytical or innovative, or they may dismiss women as “doers,” not “leaders,” regardless of the evidence presented otherwise. For those of us in the industry, this is a disappointing and frustrating but all too familiar double standard.
Even with my tech experience and STEM degrees, I still sometimes struggle to be heard and to receive the respect and recognition I feel I deserve, despite having learned to be assertive, calm, and insightful over the years. However, based on my firsthand experience in working for nine different tech companies, this is not as much a problem at corporations who have embraced diversity, and who actively employ a larger number of women.
Finally, when women have children and decide to temporarily leave the workforce, they may have a difficult time returning. And even in 2020, it is still largely women who take leave to care for children and new babies.
What can be done about the problem? Let me be clear that it is not only women’s responsibility to solve. It will take a major societal upheaval to help more women enter STEM disciplines and careers and earn promotions in their jobs. But in the meantime, below are a few short-term things that can help:
Provide positive STEM female role models for girls. For instance, if you’re a woman in tech who has a school-age daughter, talk with her about why math and science are important. Introduce her to the high level duties of your job, and explain how you use your STEM background. If you’re not in STEM, find other women who are, and introduce your daughter to them. They can be female math and science teachers, engineers, product managers, and IT employees.
If you have a young daughter, give her puzzles to solve, Sudoku, and other math games. Buy kits for her to put together, and help her put them together.
Encourage your daughter to excel in math. Help her with her homework. Help build her confidence that she can do well in this subject.
If you don’t have a daughter, consider tutoring girls in math or computer programming (if you have these skills), or joining a mentoring volunteer organization for girls in STEM.
Form a club for women in high tech in your company or locale. Hold meetings, and share experiences and ideas. Tech jobs are often very demanding, and it takes a lot of strength, willpower, and support to remain in what could be a cold, unfriendly, unrewarding environment and still produce high quality output.
If you’re a manager in tech with women on your team, provide them with encouragement and positive feedback. A simple “thank you” can go a long way in showing appreciation and support.
Someday, after I have exited Corporate America for good, I plan to write a novel based on my experiences in the tech industry. For now I’m too close to it, but with some time and distance, I will let my perceptions and experiences flow into my creative writing in what I hope will be both entertaining and insightful - a wider call for action.