professionaldevelopment Archives

At Women in Digital, we are fierce advocates for connecting, educating, and empowering women to give them the skills and support they need to thrive in the tech industry. We are very lucky to not be alone in this mission and another great organisation trying to build up women (and software) is She Codes. We were beyond ecstatic to be able to attend their She Codes Plus Brisbane Showcase last month. Keep reading to learn a little more about She Codes and some of our key takeaways from the night.

Facts are facts. Despite national conversations about diversity in tech, women are still largely misrepresented in the tech industry. According to ARN, only a fifth of Australia’s IT graduates are women! While yes, diversity statistics are slowly improving, clearly, there is still a long way to go and this is why we love to support organisations such as She Codes.

In late 2020, we had the incredible opportunity to attend the She Codes Plus Showcase at Lightspace in Brisbane. If you haven’t heard of She Codes, you’re missing out! She Codes is on a mission to teach women coding skills, get women into technical careers, and build communities of like-minded women. Their vision is to increase diversity in tech by inspiring 100,000 women across Australia by 2025 and this is absolutely something we at Women in Digital can get behind.

Run in partnership with BHP, the She Codes Plus program is a six-month part-time course that focuses on supercharging the tech careers of women. This showcase was an opportunity to celebrate their achievement, share their portfolios and connect them with other professionals in tech including recruiters, hiring managers and potential industry mentors.

We were thrilled to attend this fantastic event and celebrate the 2020 graduating class. We were equaly excited to listen to a range of fabulous panellists including Sammy Herbert, Peta Ellis, Emily Taylor, Rene Chappel and Sorcha Abel (who was also the 2020 Women in Digital Awards Technical Leader of the Year – go Sorcha! See all our winners here). These women are five powerhouse leaders with an accumulative 78 years in the industry (woah!). They are also key role models for young women in tech. If there’s anything we’ve learned at Women in Digital, it’s that ‘you can’t be what you can see’ which is why showcasing these role models in this industry are so important.

Here are our key takeaways from the SheCodes panel discussion…

Connect with your network around you

You might have heard the saying that ‘your network is your net worth’ and it’s true! Although it may not be your all-time favourite activity, I think we can all agree that networking is a key skill for any professional. Building a network filled with strong, quality relationships is just as important. So if you find yourself wanting to level-up your networking game, start small and try ‘nudging’ one person a day. Watch over time as good things happen!

Be okay with not knowing all the answers

As much as we wish we could be experts in everything, that is never going to be a realistic goal. But that’s okay. This is your opportunity to ask questions, collaborate with others and build connections with other professionals in areas you may be unfamiliar with. However, if this is not your vibe, another way you can learn is by simply throwing yourself in the deep-end! What better way to learn than through experience?

Value your experience

Your experience is unique to you and to be honest, it is more than a lot of people have! Though many people follow similar career paths, it is highly unlikely your pathway is identical to any other individual and you, therefore, you have different (and meaningful) insights to bring to the table. So make your experience and career journey be your unique point of difference and flaunt it!

Find a mentor to support you through the journey

This all goes back to the importance of your network. Finding a mentor to guide you or simply offer advice throughout your career plays a key role in your network. Whether that’s a former teacher, past employer, or maybe someone you have looked up to in your industry, it’s always worth reaching out. Most people are more than happy to provide some form of mentorship and share their experiences with you.

Appreciate it’s not going to be amazing immediately – it’s a journey

The idea of a linear career is long gone. Hey, we’re not saying that you won’t thrive immediately at the beginning of your career journey (some people do!). But in the 21st century, most people will find that their career pathways become ‘squiggly’ rather than straightforward. This means it is important to accept and embrace that there is more than one way to achieve what you want in your career. You can read our insights from the Women in Digital Squiggly Careers Panel here.

Imposter syndrome is something we hear a lot of women in digital struggle with and a narrative we desperately want to change! Here are the She Codes Showcase panel’s top tips on beating imposter syndrome:

Go to meetups – once you’re there, doors will open

Can you tell we love networking? Guilty as charged! But we can’t stress this enough and neither could the SheCodes panel… whatever your experience or background, it is so important for women in digital to take opportunities to connect with others in your industry. If a door opens, assume inclusion, (don’t talk yourself out of it) and walk right through. You never know what might happen! Especially in the tech space, there are more and more networking and professional development events popping up for you to enjoy. We recommend challenging yourself to attend at least one event a month and bringing a friend to back you up if you’re nervous.

Personify your negative persona and tell it to go away

No one likes a ‘negative Nancy’. If you take anything away from this blog, let it be this! A lot of people have a nagging voice in their head that feeds on and metastases any feelings of inadequacy and failure. Does this sound like you? Go ahead and visualise this voice as a personification of your negativity. Name it, picture it, and every time you catch [insert name of inner critique here] being a voice of irrational negativity, just tell it to bug off! Don’t be your own worst enemy!

Go to your crew to gas you up

We are all social creatures. Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, we naturally crave communication in some capacity (some more than others, of course). This is why finding your work crew may very well be the secret to both personal and collective success. If you need a boost after a rough day or just need some general motivation, connect with your crew and have them refuel your drive – sometimes you just need to let someone else be your cheerleader (we all know you are always being a cheerleader for someone!)

Verbalising the issue

If you’re a ‘fake it til you make it’ type of person and this works for you, then go for it. But truthfully, a lot of people struggle with nerves and it’s 100% okay to 1. Feel that way and 2. Verbalise that you feel that way. Remember, your coworkers, employers, and employees are human too. Most likely, they will appreciate your honesty and be able to sympathise. Plus, sometimes it can be a great ice breaker to verbalise your nerves.

Stop looking up at the things to do, look back at all the things you have done

My guess is that a lot of people reading this are looking forward to opportunities to level-up in their career. That’s great! You’re probably ambitious and hungry to succeed and we can’t fault that. But every now and again, it’s important to also look back at things you have done, take time to reflect and appreciate your accomplishments along the way. You earned it!

You should only be comparing yourself to you

Too many people fall into the trap of comparing themselves to others. It’s an easy thing to do and we have all done it at least once (or more 😂) in our lives but as soon as you stop that, the better off you will be and likely happier in general. There’s always someone who you think knows better when reality is, someone is thinking that about you in the same way! So next time, keep that in mind. Your career journey is YOUR journey. Keep doing you and go after what YOU want!

Final Top Tips:

Keep learning – It’s okay not to know everything. Google is your friend and so are industry workshops!
Find your tribe – Who are those special people in your life that will support you and your career no matter what?
Go and pitch yourself to someone else – Take a chance and put yourself out there! If nothing else, it will become a fantastic opportunity for feedback and confidence building.
Stay mainstream and don’t specialise too early – ‘Early specialisers’ may find themselves disadvantaged because they have boxed themselves into a corner in the ever-changing modern tech world. Broad experience is key for long-term success so learn as much as you can before deep diving into one specialisation.

A huge thank you to BHP, Amazon Web Services and BDO for sponsoring these amazing community events/ initiatives. Make sure you follow She Codes on LinkedIn to stay up to date on any upcoming events and workshops!

If you yourself are looking to hire some tech superstars, seeking your next opportunity, or wanting to partner with us to support diversity in digital, get in touch! We would love to connect with you. Follow us Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin!

Building-Your-Board-Career-Insights-with-Suzanne-Ardagh-Top-Tips.jpeg

A career as a Board Member can be hugely rewarding but it isn’t something you can make happen overnight.

Last week, we were joined by accomplished Board Director and Executive, Suzanne Ardagh (Lester Blades), an accomplished Board Director and Executive, to discuss the steps and skills you need to carve out your own Board career. With over 30 years’ international experience as a management executive and business leader, Suzanne has an extensive background in a range of industries and knows exactly what it takes to have a successful career as a Board member.

Here are Suzanne’s top insights on how to land your first Board position:

Find a cause you’re passionate about
Be a passenger, not a driver
Refine your skill of forward-thinking
Get at least one Board role while you are working in a Director capacity
Look at the other Board members
Get a great induction
Don’t be a seat warmer
Get a Board Buddy
Embrace the battle scars

Your first Board role will most likely (cough definitely) be unpaid

If you didn’t know this already, well now you do! There are many opportunities in the pro bono space to do a lot of good. It’s up to you to figure out what organisations really speak to you and what causes you feel strongly about helping! Consider the following: What are you passionate about? What will drive you to get up early in the morning or work late at night? Where are your values aligned?

You are there to monitor, guide, and give advice

It is important to remember that as a NED (non-executive director), your role is to bring your intellect, experience and advice to the Board, NOT make changes. In other words, you are a ‘passenger’ and will provide strategic direction to the business but not actually ‘steer’ the wheel.

If you aren’t sure what you necessarily bring to the table, ask yourself these questions; What I have done in my career? What experiences have I got that will make me a good director? Maybe you have previously managed budgets, lead strategy days or have experience managing risk or M&As. Your answers to these questions are what make up your Board career toolkit. When preparing your application, bring a summary of your executive career and answers to how you would bring value to the Board.

But it’s not only your experience and technical skills that are important. Developing strong contemporary skills (also known as soft skills) has become more crucial than ever for a career as a Board member.

A contemporary member should:

Have the ability to identify trends in datasets
Be creative
Be a problem-solver
Understand nnovation & transformation (working in disruption)
Have a progressive mindset
Be an agile thinker
Have an ability to deal with uncertainty

You can also read the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) recommended skills here.

Refine your skill of forward-thinking

Boards are a future, forward-looking role that requires a strong forward-thinking mindset to put the Board’s best foot forward. You are essentially a crystal ball for the company. This calls for a combination of insights from your lagging and leading indicators. The best way to describe these terms is by thinking about the business as a car. That is when you look out the windshield, you are looking at what’s ahead of you (leading indicators) but when you turn your head to look through the rearview on where you have travelled, you are reviewing past performance.

As an example, financial results will give you a state of play but they won’t give you any insight into how the company will fare in the future. This is why a well-balanced system requires both. If your leading indicators aren’t aligned to put you on the right track to achieve your goals, it is up to you to help make adjustments to the strategy. Too often, companies will focus too much on lagging indicators and miss opportunities to influence important outcomes which is why a forward-thinking mindset is so important.

Get at least one Board role while you are working in a Director capacity

AICD courses and the like are great for theoretical understanding and foundations but nothing can ever match real-world, learned experience. Whether that’s for a non-for-profit or corporate enterprise, find opportunities to be involved in an organisation you are passionate about and be prepared to reap the benefits.

Look at the other Board members

Much like any other job, what makes a Board position great (or not-so-great) is the people you are surrounded by. So if you can, take a look at the other Board Members and identify as much information as possible about the role before you commit. Not every position will be perfect, but this due diligence can save you (and others) much time and effort.

Some great things to ask yourself include:

What experience will you learn from them?
Is it a board you want to be on?
Culture of the board?
What’s the attendance like?
What’s the time commitment?
Protocols of engaging with management?

Once you get there – get a great induction

Preparation is key. If not offered an induction, take the initiative and request a tour of the site, meet the management team and visit the ground staff.

Don’t be a seat warmer

A lot of people see boards as a stepping stone for their career. But there is really no-one worse than being THAT person. Not only is it annoying to be on a board with people who don’t pull their weight, but it will come back to haunt you in the wider community as word spreads.

Get a Board Buddy

For your first board position, it pays to have a Board Buddy. That is, someone that can show you the ropes and provide feedback for you. You can think of this person as a mentor in the building to help you find your feet and thrive in your first role.

While you are in leadership/Director roles, embrace the battle scars

Many leaders, Directors, and CEOs become uncomfortable in times of crisis or stress. But of course, this is where your greatest learnings happen and how you build business-resilience! This is something that will make you a terrific NED in the future. So when a storm comes (like leading a business through a pandemic), lean into it and learn!

Thank you so much to Suzanne for sharing her valuable time with us! If you are interested in learning more about Suzanne and her career journey, be sure to follow her on LinkedIn. You can also ready about our terrific 2020 Women in Digital Advisory Board here.

For more information on our upcoming community events, click here and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

One of those key ‘adulting’ moments is when you start talking about money. These conversations are so important to have with all professionals. But particularly for early-in-career women as being able to confidently and successfully negotiate a higher salary is crucial (and necessary) for bridging the gender pay gap. The Women in Digital team were lucky enough to be invited to share their experience and advice on having those difficult conversations with the Assisterhood community.

Watch our Q&A with Assisterhood now:

Prefer to read? Here are their key takeaways on how and when to ask for a raise, avoid self-sabotaging, and knowing your true worth:

But first, here’s a quick summary:

Just do it – stop avoiding the conversation
Be proactive and start the conversation early -it’s all about building a relationship
Find that sweet spot – talk about more than just money
Back yourself even when you’re not feeling confident & know your worth!
Remember, value isn’t just monetary
Avoid comparing your salary with others
Your employer is human too! (and chances are, they are nervous as well!)

Let’s get started…

Just do it!

It’s probably inevitable that conversations around money are going to make you nervous – we feel you. But if you don’t feel like you are getting what you are worth, you may start to build resentment towards your employers which could be totally avoided through one simple, uncomfortable conversation. At the very least, this process will help you build both resilience and confidence over time.

Be proactive and start the conversation early

Many people ask us, “but when is a good time to talk about pay rises?” The answer is sooner rather than later. And the best way to approach this conversation is by building a relationship with your employer. Whether that’s weekly or monthly check-ins, you and your manager can discuss your professional and performance goals and work towards them together. This will naturally open up to conversations about your pay goals and put you both on the same page!

But what do I say?

It’s all about finding that sweet spot. To start this conversation, we suggest discussing more than just money with your employer. Together you can talk about arrangements to provide you both the best value possible. That could be a flexible workspace, a shortened probation period, work-from-home environment or other lifestyle options. You can always include these terms in your contract as well including a pay review 6 months down the line.

Back yourself even when you’re not feeling confident & know your worth!

Facts, facts, facts! When it comes to finally having this dreaded conversation, be prepared! Think about the value you have contributed to the business whether that’s through sales, operational changes or equity. Unfortunately, effort does not translate into business results. You have to prove your worth. If you are in a larger organisation and don’t understand how you are contributing value, talk to your employer and start building your ‘court case’ around that value. Before your meeting, you can even ask your employer beforehand what information you should prepare to set yourself up for success. But keep in mind, calm confidence trumps over-confidence in this case.

If not a pay rise, what else?

Sometimes a salary increase just isn’t possible (think Covid-19!). But that doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate a different form of remuneration. Value isn’t just monetary. For example, what about a new and improved role title? This could set you in a better position long term or open you to better future opportunities.

More than just money

When searching for new opportunities, think beyond your pay and consider what else the organisation has to offer you. If they are a great employer and an ideal culture, this could benefit you long term more so than another opportunity. Remember, the right fit can also lead to internal growth in more ways than one. Sometimes it’s about getting your foot in the door first.

Stop comparing!

It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing your salary to your coworkers. But just like avocados, there are fluctuating market demands for jobs roles. Not to mention, many factors go into salary pricing. That could be someone’s professional network, experience, personal branding, skills and strengths, qualifications, agency vs. in-house and more. So before you start comparing salaries, consider talking to a recruiter who will have a better idea of overall demands within the job market.

Remember, your employer is human too!

Chances are your employer might be just as nervous about having these conversations as you! But they also can’t read your mind. Don’t wait and see if they give you a raise, take the initiative to ask for it! It can be as simple as sending an email to request a chat about your progress and current remuneration. Last but not least, when in doubt… break the tension with an ice-breaker!

A big thank you to Assisterhood for having us and putting on such a terrific event and to Alpha Digital for hosting.

Ready to take the next step in your career? Connect with the Women in Digital team here – they can help by providing strategic career advice and more!

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She Codes Plus Showcase: Tips for Building a Career in Tech