We recently spoke with Gabrielle Linn, a Pega developer working for EY, about her journey as a woman in tech, and how SkillStorm helped her get where she is today.
Q: What inspired you to get into tech?
A: I was always finicking around with computers and stuff growing up. But I think what really got me into tech was the mindset of problem-solving, how important that is in the tech industry. I think that's really where I thrived with that and I just had an interest in newer technology, what's new, what's coming out, just kind of staying up to date with that stuff. So that was fun for me.
Q: How do you think being a woman in tech has influenced your career and experiences?
A: Being a woman in tech has influenced my career and my experiences a lot. During my college years, there were a lot of males in all the tech classes and programming classes. There was only one professor that was female, and she was very supportive of females in the class. So, I think it was really helpful to lean on the female professor. Also, in the tech industry just being out in my career, I think it was a very male-dominant industry. So that was intimidating to me.
I think as females, we have a closer relationship when it comes to just trying to help each other out and help each other thrive. And that's really important. I think the company that I'm at right now is super good at bringing the females together and making them feel like they're heard.
Q: Have you faced any specific challenges or obstacles as a woman in the tech industry? How did you overcome them?
A: At my first job as a Pega developer, I was assigned to a project that was basically all males. And I feel like this made it a little more difficult for me to feel comfortable with reaching out to anyone on the team. I ended up having a conversation with my manager at some point and he mentioned that even though his team might seem a little standoffish that I shouldn't be afraid to ask for help and that they're more than willing to help me out. I think this reassured me that I should be asking them questions and that it's really important for me to grow as a developer.
Q: What do you find most rewarding about working in technology?
A: I think the most rewarding thing about working in technology is that there's always something new to learn. There's always something new being developed or something is being developed faster or more efficiently. People are always trying to further their education and knowledge around technology just because it's always rapidly changing. I think that's pretty exciting to look forward to what's next.
Q: What advice would you give to other women aspiring to pursue a career in technology?
The advice that I would give to other women aspiring to pursue a career in technology is don't be intimidated about how the industry is male-dominated. Look for the companies that really value and empower women in technology.
I think it's important to look for a female mentor who you can feel free to ask as many questions, share any struggles that you're having starting off in your career and throughout your career.
And I think it's important to remember that females have an advantage with how we think and the different ways that we handle things, and we have to utilize that in our career and really come together and empower each other.
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