10 Tips from Women in Tech to Women in Tech
Have you ever heard the term men in STEM? Or even better, men in tech? No? Well, that's probably because there's never been a real reason to advocate for a louder masculine presence in technology. But today, thanks to the support and awareness of the women in tech community, so many of the great people who make technology an integral part of our lives are women—talented women.
So, what advice would the women behind the Sendcloud platform give other girls and women aspiring to careers in tech? With backgrounds ranging from Product to Engineering and Sales, they gave us their unique outlook on how to join the ride: here's what they had to say! 🚀
What advice would you give your younger self on how to build a career in tech?
1. It’s okay not to know something
"Sometimes you will feel dumb, and that's okay. 😄 Software development is a profession where you constantly need to advance. It's impossible to know everything, especially at the beginning of your career! So it's really okay not to know something: just take the time to learn and ask colleagues."
Karina Mankevič, Software Engineer
2. Work on your soft skills
"Soft skills like teamwork and cooperation are just as critical as being able to push out code. When you communicate clearly and are confident enough to ask questions, you'll help not just yourself but everyone around you. Remember that no one has all the answers, and in this industry, there's always something more to learn, so stay curious!"
Rhian van Esch, Software Architect
3. Don't be afraid to ask questions
"Stay curious—and don't be afraid to ask questions. The experimental mindset I got from my chemistry background helped me enormously when I started working in a startup. You don't have to have studied tech to get a job in tech (you can if you want!). The strengths you bring from other backgrounds can really bring a lot of value and impact into whatever team you're in."
4. Leave no room for self-doubt
"So many talented women I spoke to told me they suffered from some kind of Impostor Syndrome, and that's such a common experience for so many of us. If I could give any advice to my younger self, it would be ‘You're smart and hard-working, go reach for the stars!’.
Stop doubting and criticizing yourself so much, it will only slow you down. If you believe you are capable, the tech world offers so many possibilities to grow and evolve because it's a great industry to build a career! Especially at Sendcloud. 😉"
Henriette Vogt, Team Lead Sales
5. Dare to dream and go get it
"If I could give a tip to my younger self to build a career in tech, I would tell her to not be afraid of being ambitious and pursue your dream career. Despite the fact that it might seem more arduous and risky than another, more conventional path, be brave and go for it.
Failures, disappointments, and judgments might arise—that's normal and it happens for the most straightforward choices too. But it's how you respond to them that will make you grow and learn. It won’t happen so quickly and effectively if you don't dare to step outside the ordinary path.
Sometimes it’s easier to pretend to be satisfied with the traditional careers or way of doing things, just because we are afraid of the negative situations that might come, hiding the dream in the drawer for too long."
Anna Gatti, Sales Operations Specialist
6. Keep improving yourself
"Before Sendcloud, I was working in the fashion industry. When I decided to move to the SaaS world and start a programming course, so many people told me things like ‘You? Do you really think YOU fit in that world?’. Thank God I didn't listen to any of that! I knew what I wanted and what I needed to learn to achieve it.
You might think ‘Oh, but I don't know this, so I don't think I can do that…’, but the truth is that there are so many resources out there! Just go through platforms like StackOverflow, look up courses (use the Sendcloud study budget 😉), reproduce issues, test API calls, and dare to ask—there are so many people willing to help and share their knowledge."
Loes Keijsers, Team Lead Tech Support
7. Embrace change and say yes to challenges
"Say yes to change. I have always heard of the importance of saying no and learning how to prioritize. I get why that is important, but if I could give a tip to my younger self it would be to actually say yes to more challenges.
We tend to say no to change because all change is uncomfortable but usually, it's also necessary. I think that trying to figure out how you could do something first instead of saying no immediately is a really great source of knowledge that can lead to so many improvements. I would rather fail and learn than not try at all!"
Ana Silvério, VP Customer Support
8. Be your own role model
"If there are not many female role models working in tech out there, don't let that stop you. Be your own role model and one day you'll be a role model for other girls and women looking for the same thing."
Nicole van Alphen, Product Lead
9. Follow what you like to do
"Follow what you like to do and don't be afraid of where it will bring you!"
Anouk Claassen, Quantitative Business Analyst
10. Connect, collaborate, be confident
"Never ever forget—you are not alone here!"
Caroline Overgoor, UX Manager
Hi there! 👋 I am Alicia and as a Talent Magician I am part of the talent acquisition team at Sendcloud. We are a Dutch SaaS company that’s revolutionising e-commerce around Europe thanks to our cutting-edge platform. Feel free to browse our People stories here, or our tech articles on Dev.to. Make sure to also browse our Jobs page if you see yourself as part of our bunch, we’re always on the search for our next star player!
