March 8 is International Women’s Day and this year Sophos is celebrating the theme of ‘Embrace Equity’ by sharing the personal journeys of just some of the inspirational women working at Sophos.
We are also running a series of internal events exploring the issues women face navigating the realities of working in tech, and hearing from a board member giving advice on how women can advance their careers in tech and beyond.
At Sophos we believe that every employee, regardless of their background or identity, deserves equal opportunities, treatment, and respect. To create a more equitable workplace, we must listen and learn from the experiences of others and take proactive steps to address inequities and create pathways for all employees to succeed and in providing opportunities to support and empower those around you.
We spoke to 20 of our global team members about their backgrounds in the industry, their biggest accomplishments and challenges, and what piece of advice they would give to other women interested in starting a career in tech. Here are some excerpts from what they had to say:
Ailsa Wallace, Director, Applications Operations, IT, UK
What attracted you to a career in tech?
A career in tech was by no means written in the stars for me. At a relatively early stage, I made a move from academia to project management. Since Project Management is well-aligned with IT, this eventually paved the way to my being at Sophos today. Fundamentally, the move was motivated by wanting to see a direct impact and tangible outcome from my work – working in tech certainly ticks the box for me in that respect.
Barbara Hudson, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Sophos Technology Group, Germany
Did you face any barriers or challenges in your journey into tech?
As a woman in tech, you can encounter situations where people need ‘a little extra time’ to accept and respect you as a subject matter expert, and it may sometimes feel like you do have to work harder than some of your peers to gain that reputation. I’d like to think that’s a challenge I’ve mostly overcome. For my particular role, I think my non-tech background has always been more of an advantage than a barrier. Sure, the learning curve has been steep at times, but I ‘get’ how to turn complex topics into words that less technical people will understand, and that is a huge benefit.
Candice Hyde, Enterprise Account Executive, Sales, Australia
What advice would you give other women pursuing a career in tech?
My advice to other women pursuing a career in tech would be to believe in yourself, seek out mentors and opportunities, and never stop learning.
Carly Meager, National Senior Channel Account Executive, Sales, US
Are there any educational courses or resources that you would advise other women to do when pursuing a career in tech?
Finding mentors early on, inside and outside your organization, and sharing your goals with them. When you’re openly sharing what you want and where you want to be, mentors can help you achieve that and open doors for you.
Deepti Bhavsar, Senior Manager, Software Development, Sophos Technology Group, India
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?
If I could go back in time, I would advise my younger self to learn as much possible in all areas. I would also tell myself to balance all aspects of life, and not just focus on career.
Dianne Yusi, Technical Account Manager, Support, US
How has Sophos helped and supported you to develop your career in tech?
Sophos has provided resources to improve my tech knowledge through LinkedIn Learning, and has also given me opportunities to be exposed to technology that was previously outside of my comfort zone, such as Linux! Sophos is also very good in helping us with work-life balance.
Fabienne Haffner, Team Lead CAM, Local Account Team, Sales, Germany
What would you like to see change in our industry for developing and supporting women to pursue careers in tech?
I’d love to see more support among women, especially in the tech industry. From my point of view, men are really good in networking, exchanging information, and supporting each other. With women I see often that they try to be strong on their own, especially in a sector that is male dominated. I think if we stood up more for each other, we could make our lives easier.
Gaelle Hild, Senior Language/Localization Specialist, Support, UK
Who has been a female role model in your life? Who is your greatest inspiration? Is there a woman in tech that you look up to?
I’ve had the chance to meet so many great women in my life. From my grandmother telling me stories of her life under the war, to my mum always having my back as a kid, to my older sister smashing open all the doors for me. I have also met so many inspiring friends and colleagues.
Itiel Reyes, Project Management Assistant, Sales, US
What attracted you to a career in tech?
Tech is one of the fastest evolving sectors, offering endless opportunities to learn and develop.
Juana Melo, Lead Technical Account Manager, Support, Canada
Did you face any barriers or challenges in your journey into tech?
At the beginning of my career, I faced the challenge of a lack of role models and underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in the tech industry. I frequently felt like I had to put in more effort than my male peers in order to be acknowledged and valued. Despite these obstacles, I remained determined to succeed and worked twice as hard as my male peers to overcome gender biases.
But I’ve seen a lot of development through the years. Women are now having more opportunity to thrive and hold leadership roles as the sector diversifies and becomes more inclusive, and I hope this trend continues. I am a strong believer that women can play a crucial part in shaping the industry’s future.
Karine Mastellotto, EMEA South & Emerging Financial Controller, Finance, France
What do you like most about having a career in tech?
I like the rapid changing environment in tech and the possibility given to approach a multitude of topics. I also enjoy giving support to help others to develop or move forward.
Keerthika Venugopal, Manager, Software Development, Sophos Technology Group, US
What advice would you give other women pursuing a career in tech?
Seize the opportunity and be fearless. Don’t get intimidated by fellow workers. Work harder and challenge yourself to be the best version of yourself.
Kyra Urban, Threat Analyst, Sophos Technology Group, US
Sophos has enabled me to grow beyond where I thought I could grow. From the beginning when they hired me when I was brand new in the industry, to supporting me in getting my recent CySA+ certification. They encourage furthering your education and growth, and they allow a lot of space and freedom to do so. I have learned so much not just from my position, but from my role in Sophos.
Linette Mananghaya, Senior Sales Engineer, Sales, Philippines
Are there any educational courses or resources that you would advise other women to do when pursuing a career in tech?
I would recommend that they identify where they want to focus on first because IT is a broad career. If they want to focus on cybersecurity, start with foundational courses. The key is to never stop learning and take all the fundamentals to any advanced courses they will take in the future.
Nikita Bhavsar, Manager, Tax, India
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?
Embrace the learning journey and never cease growing. Remain adaptable and open to new ideas.
Pauline Hing, Enterprise Account Executive, Sales, Malaysia
Who has been a female role model in your life? Who is your greatest inspiration? Is there a woman in tech that you look up to?
My mom, she’s persistent, committed and inspiring. And, Ginni Rometty, the first woman to head IBM, one of the very first women leaders in technology back then.
Prathibha Gundal, Senior Manager, Software Development, Sophos Technology Group, India
What do you like most about having a career in tech?
The thing that I love most about having a career in tech is the fact that it provides the opportunity to learn constantly evolving technologies. It is very fascinating to see products that we have worked on being used by people in their day-to-day life. I like being part of a team comprising of wonderful people with great skills.
Shelly Lin, VP, Corporate Legal, Legal, US
Did you face any barriers or challenges in your journey into tech?
Luckily, I didn’t face any unique barriers or challenges. However, at the beginning of my career, it did take some time and effort to figure out how to find mentors and build a strong professional network because there weren’t as many resources back in the day on how to do this.
Sumedha Jagushte, Senior Manager Web, Marketing, India
Are there any educational courses or resources that you would advise other women to do when pursuing a career in tech?
There are many, many interesting courses out there, from LinkedIn to masterclasses to MOOCs (massive open online courses). Find your interest. Never stop learning. Create your own network of people – they’re the best resources for gaining information first-hand.
Winnie Tang, Territory Account Manager, Sales, Netherlands
Who has been a female role model in your life? Who is your greatest inspiration? Is there a woman in tech that you look up to?
My mum is my role model, she never gives up and fights to achieve her goals. She is an independent woman who achieves her goals herself with her own power. She always says, “Once you set a goal you need to go for it. Your faith is in your hands. Never say I can’t but think how you can achieve it.”
Our International Women’s Day celebrations have been organised by our Sophos Women in Technology Network, you can find out more about Sophos’ diversity and inclusion networks on our careers website.