Despite a rollercoaster couple of years, we are proud to have continued to see steady growth here at Smart Spaces, which has included employing new members of the team. We pride ourselves on focusing on talent, passion and enthusiasm when it comes to hiring new candidates, eliminating any form of stereotyping and discrimination when it comes to women working in tech – an infamous male-dominated industry.
In support of #BreakTheBias, this year’s International Women’s Day theme, we asked three of our valued female colleagues to share how they got into their line of work, what challenges they have faced and how they overcame them, and what they enjoy most about their role.
Asude Guvercin, Software Developer
Before I started studying software, I had several concerns – the main one being that the industry was too male-dominated and that women weren’t given enough chances. The person who encouraged me was my brother, a software engineer, who has always been supportive of me, and because of this, I continued to pursue my dream career.
Prejudice and discrimination against female employees in male-dominated sectors such as technology is something I hear very often from my female friends in this sector. I think the annual International Women’s Day campaigns are a brilliant way to raise awareness and help to destroy the prejudices of more people over time. I hope my advice along with this year’s theme of #breakingthebias helps inspire more women to work in the tech industry too.
Melissa Newman, Executive Assistant
I have worked across a number of sectors starting off as a Personal Assistant, predominantly in the property sector. I recently got into the tech industry and what I really love is seeing how technology impacts the companies and businesses we work with. I like being part of a strong team of women who encourage each other every day to be the best that they can be.
Katie Murphy, Project Manager
I have always worked within male-dominated industries – starting off within a global architectural and engineering firm, and then moving across into the technology sector. There are definitely still challenges to overcome – I have been mistaken as a PA when being the only female on the table full of men at a technology conference. But things are definitely moving in the right direction, there are steadily more and more women representatives in leadership positions, and it is becoming rarer to be the only woman in the meeting. I enjoy being part of a movement to help break the bias and think that initiatives such as IWD are a great way to build a better future for all.
Lauren Smith, Executive Assistant
As a woman who has built her career in male-dominated industries, I think it’s very important to support, empower and encourage other women. I’ve been working in the tech industry for over a year now and I am very fortunate to work with a strong group of women, and combined with the rest of the inspirational women raising awareness through this year’s IWD campaign, we can continue to help to break the bias.
We are always on the search for talented women in tech to join us at Smart Space. Sound like you? Drop us an email at hello@smartspaces.app for current and future opportunities.
