Just apply for that tech job you really want! 🤓

Did you know the tech industry is crying out for women?

At the moment, the industry has a male dominant presence. There are a lot of reasons for this, but often women don’t even apply to jobs. Definitely, there are more men in the industry in any case but even the few women that are part of the tech sphere, don’t really apply for the jobs they truly want when they’re available. Hence, industry executives are literally scouting for women, trying to find them like a needle in a haysack. However, they can only do so much if women themselves aren’t coming forward and applying to these jobs.

Why Don’t Women Apply to Jobs?

Men and women think differently and that really shows in how they apply to jobs. Men will literally apply for a job if they meet one just one of the requirements while women won’t because they meet all but one. You know there’s really nothing to lose when you apply for a job – at the most you won’t be considered for the role but you at least need to put yourself forward. You need to apply. You need to show interest.

These behaviours are somewhat taught to men and women early on in their childhood. Men or boys are trained to put themselves out there. They’re allowed to make mistakes and they’re readily forgiven when they do mess up. Girls, on the other hand, are sometimes subdued to an extent. And these behaviours kind of internalize in the sense that men are more open to taking risks while some women (not all, of course) might be a little more cautious. They won’t apply to jobs despite the fact that it’s literally common knowledge now that the tech industry needs more women.

And that’s exactly why it’s absolutely crucial that you apply for every opportunity – don’t self-reject. If you are a qualified, intelligent woman with a strong work ethic, there’s no reason for a prospective employer to reject you. And of course, if you don’t fit the criteria for one job, it’s not actually a big deal. But please, please put yourself in those situations. Move forward. Take the lead because that’s the only way for you to find your dream job.

We’re Not Just Choosing Women Because They’re Women

And of course, women are not mere diversity hires. Employers are looking for women in the industry because those women are definitely very qualified. No one will hire you simply because you’re a woman – you’ll be chosen for you skills and your qualifications. But again, you need to take that chance if you ever want to be chosen. You need to step up because employers can only encourage you to apply – you need to apply for the job yourself. And there’s absolutely no reason that you shouldn’t!

Rejection is Not Inevitable

Let’s face it: the most that can happen is that you’ll get rejected. You might feel like you’re in a vulnerable state when applying for a job but really, how vulnerable could you be? And then again, there’s essentially nothing wrong with being vulnerable. Rejection is inevitable in life. And chances are that if you apply to ten jobs, you might only get back a response from one or two. But again, there is nothing wrong with that. You just need to keep putting yourself in those situations because it’s kind of like practice. You’re actually gaining experience. And you need that experience not just to secure a job but also for life in general. Rejection is normal and there’s no reason to take it personally. Just always give it your all and you will definitely start seeing results soon.

You Have Nothing to Lose

Remember that no matter what, there’s nothing to lose when you apply for a job. Since the tech industry is already scouting for qualified women (such as yourself), you have a pretty good chance. Still, if you’re nervous or unsure about applying, you should know that you really have nothing to lose. Consider the worstcase scenario: they’ll reject your application. And really, that’s it! That’s the most that can happen. So, honestly, it’s not a very risky situation, which is why I urge you to never let go of any opportunity because you think you’re not qualified. Because you won’t know until you’ve actually applied obviously!

Apply to That Job Right Now!

Now, if you’ve reached the end of this article, I would suggest that you leave whatever it is you’re doing and go apply for that job you’ve been putting off. Go, apply! You stand as much a chance as anyone else. You’ve got this! Just do it.

BIO: Charlotte Fuller, a leading female figure in STEM is a world traveler and an expert in helping companies adopt the latest industrial digital technologies. She earned her Master’s in International Business and has more than a decade of experience working with real-world organisations. Through her keynote presentations and workshops, she now supports organisations in building confident, high-performing female STEM talent through her Signature Corporate Workshops.

Before taking on consulting privately, She worked with leading providers of digital transformation services during her time with Microsoft / Accenture. She has worked with many industry-leading companies to leverage technology & create operational efficiencies, drive more revenue, and build the teams required to meet the exact needs of their customer.

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