Being a woman in the tech industry can sometimes feel like being alone on an island, but it doesn't have to be that way. More and more women are pursuing STEM degrees and jobs than ever before, creating a community of women in tech of support, guidance and mentorship.
If you're feeling stuck on this island look down below for resources that can connect you with support through your work and beyond.
1) Learn New Skills with Other Women in Tech!
a) SkillCrush is an online coding camp that meets you where you're at with your coding skills and helps you get better. They offer a free basic coding camp and other paid courses involving user experience and general tech tips. Their goal is to be a tech resource with a heart, so give them a try and better your professional skills.
b) Hackbright Academy is an all-female coding community based in the Bay Area that educates women on various coding languages to lean into careers in software engineering. They are one of the only schools of it's kind that focuses on women in technology bettering their skills in a community of female mentors, teachers and students.
2) Get Funding!
a) The Women's Venture Capital Fund looks to support female CEO's and start-ups who are working on projects geared towards women-centric products. They hope to make the world a more female-friendly place with their inclusive fund management. Have a new idea or are looking for funding? Apply!
b) The Female Founders Fund aims to do similar things, investing in female company creators that aim to make products for women. They have had massive success in their investments, leading to new companies like Billie, Winky Lux, and Peanut.
3) Network and Find a Mentor!
a) Tech Ladies is a group in which women in tech share job postings for roles at companies like Slack, and Adobe. They have a Facebook group connected to their website as well that serves as a way to network beyond just jobs.
b) ARA (Attract, Retain, Advance) is a service that connects women to mentors in the tech community. You can apply to be a mentor or to find a mentor through their program. Having that kind of support as a young woman in tech can be the difference between success and unhappiness. They also hold events for mentors and mentees to attend.
4) Attend an Event!
a) Techfest Club is a great place to attend intellectual and fun events while also meeting women in your field. They are based in NYC and only invite female speakers to come to their space and share their story, or teach something to the attendees. You can apply to be a speaker or attend their events.
b) If you're in the Bay Area, try meeting up with Girl Geek X for dinner or an event with other women in tech. They organize speakers and events surrounding tech that creates space for women in the Bay Area to come together and chat about their careers. Their events often act as a way to just meet friends as well.
5) Join A Group!
a) The Anita Borg Institute has an email forum of over 5,000 women in tech where resources are shared and jobs are discussed. This can be a great way to realize you are among a large group of women all working toward similar goals.
b) The National Center for Women and Information Technology houses resources for individuals and companies looking to foster healthy recruitment of women and encourage STEM education throughout the country. Women currently in tech can benefit from their free resources to share with their employer and encourage the hiring of more women and inclusion of women on boards.
c) And finally, join Women In Technology International. We are a global community of women working across all kinds of niche tech careers. We provide networking opportunities, events like our annual summit and the Hall of Fame where female tech heros are recognized. Our weekly newsletter clues you in on fast tech news stories from the week and resources just like these. Most importantly, though, is the community of successful, driven women that make up Women In Technology International.
Opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily those of WITI.
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