Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 57
“Taking on small challenges, trying something
new, or going beyond what’s expected.
Those moments build con昀椀dence and
keep you progressing.”
What would you tell a young woman about
this industry to encourage her to join it?
What do you want her to know, hear, or
feel before making that decision?
What are some of the biggest obstacles
young people face in starting their
careers today?
I think one of the biggest obstacles is being too rigid in how you think
about your career.
I’d say don’t wait to try something new until you feel completely certain
because that moment might never come.
For me, everything about digital infrastructure started with awareness.
Until you put yourself out there, you don’t know what exists or what
you’re capable of. I spent plenty of time just going through things
without much direction, because I wasn’t exposed to enough to make
the right decisions.
It’s easy to feel like you need to have everything 昀椀gured out early on.
The idea that you should pick one path and stick to it, but that can limit
you. If you’re too 昀椀xed on one idea, you might miss opportunities that
are actually a much better 昀椀t.
I think that’s true for a lot of young women. It’s not always about ability. It
can be more about what you’ve seen, what you’ve been told is possible,
or what’s been modelled around you. I didn’t grow up surrounded by
people talking about careers in this space, and even in my own family, it
wasn’t something anyone expected of me.
For me, what’s been more valuable is staying open. Exploring different
areas, even if they don’t seem directly relevant at 昀椀rst, helps you
understand what you enjoy and where your strengths are. You don’t
need to be an expert in everything, but having that awareness is what
helps you make better decisions over time.
When I got my 昀椀rst role, my mom was surprised. Not because she didn’t
believe in me, but because she had never imagined that path for me.
And the same thing happened when I decided to move and pursue my
master’s degree. She was concerned and asked a lot of questions, but
over time, as I kept going, her perspective shifted too.
What’s helped me is looking for ways to keep things interesting. Taking
on small challenges, trying something new, or going beyond what’s
expected. Those moments build con昀椀dence and keep you progressing.
And I think that’s an important part of it. Sometimes you are the one who
shows what’s possible not just for yourself, but for the people around you
as well.
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