10 Things Women in Technology Need to Know

I have just completed my 25th year in technology.  I've worked in almost every role: computer operator, data entry, developer, business analyst, project manager.  I entered when women were beginning to get numbers.  But there are so many things you have to learn the hard way.

After 25 years, I think I might be able to share a few. In no particular order:

1. Know your stuff.  Wanna play with the boys?  Make sure you are learning the same amount of detail they are! Read blogs, search the net, jump into that lunchtime conversation about Security in the cloud.
2. Get involved. Attend conferences, training, get certified, join user groups, write blogs.  Ask your boss to be involved in the new technology upgrade. Put a strategy in place for your career and what you want to do.
3. Volunteer, but not too often. Take on the new project, work a few extra hours. But make sure these will help your career! If you get the coffee, make sure everyone else takes their turn too.
4. Build relationships. Rarely does my next contract come from an advert.  IT is a small business. Use Linked-In and other social media. Knowing people in the business will help you throughout your career.  I've personally worked with over 20 CIOs and heads of consulting firms.
5. It's business, it's not personal. No one comes to work to ruin the work. If someone disagrees with you, it's because they have another goal or objective. They are not trying to ruin your life. If you want to succeed, find out what they are trying to achieve, and figure out how you can both get what you want.
6. Dress the part. Men have had a uniform for business for 100 years. It's called a suit. If they wear one, you can wear one. I like skirts, because I'm not a guy, or jackets over dresses. Think to yourself, would a guy be allowed to wear a similar piece of clothing to work here? Open shirt/ low-cut blouse? Open-toed shoes/ sandals? Shorts/ short (way above the knee) skirt?
7. Sometimes you have to be wrong to be right. Sometimes you will be the first one in the room with the correct answer. You want to speak up and say, "we should do it this way." But you can't. You have to lead the rest of the room to the idea. You will have far more success leading people to the right idea, if you are the one who has to take "credit" for the idea. Don't be upset about it, just do it.
8. Ride the wave. Technology is fickle. A good technology will be around for 20 years, but who wants to do the same thing for 20 years? If you are lucky enough to stumble onto the "right now" technology, make the most of it while it is popular.  Work your butt off for 2-3 years, and if you're lucky and smart, you can make a huge profit.
9. Find the need. If you are on a team of everyone with similar skills, find a skill that you have that they don't and exploit it. As a great organiser, I volunteered to enter the team's time into Microsoft Project.  This lead to me becoming a project manager.
10. They're colleagues, not girlfriends. Most importantly, don't treat your colleagues, especially your bosses like your besties. Don't gossip about the boss (he/she might be behind you) and never EVER show your alcohol capacity at a work function.  Sure, its okay to make a few besties from work, just don't make evident AT work.