Critical Careers - Women Building Careers in Digital Infrastructure - Book - Page 67
You’ve worked in
industries with very
different gender dynamics.
How did moving into
this space change your
experience?
For someone earlier in their career,
especially coming from outside the industry,
what would you want them to understand
before making a move like this?
Don’t be put off by not having direct experience. This is an industry
that’s growing quickly, and there’s space for people from different
backgrounds.
Focus on what you can bring rather than what you don’t have. The skills
you’ve developed in other roles are often more relevant than you think,
even if the industry itself is new to you.
I’d also say don’t be afraid to step into something where you don’t feel
fully ready. Most people are 昀椀guring things out as they go, and you’ll
learn much faster by being in it than by waiting until you feel completely
prepared.
In earlier parts of my career, particularly at De Beers and Burberry, I
worked in environments where there were a lot of women, especially
within the teams I was part of. The LEGO Group was more mixed, and I
remember there was a point where our team actually had more women
than men.
Moving into digital infrastructure, it’s de昀椀nitely been more maledominated. There are still situations where I’m the only woman in the
room, which is a noticeable shift if you’re not used to that. That said,
internally I haven’t felt that it has limited me. I’ve been treated with
respect and given the same opportunities as everyone else, so it’s been
more about adjusting to the environment and continuing to show up in
the same way.
Where I have noticed a difference at times is in external settings. There
can be a moment where you have to establish yourself a bit more. It’s not
always intentional, but you might not be immediately heard in the same
way. What I’ve found is that once you start contributing and it’s clear
that you understand what you’re talking about, that dynamic shifts quite
quickly. It becomes less about who you are and more about what you’re
bringing to the conversation.
For me, it hasn’t meant changing how I approach things completely, but
it has reinforced the importance of being con昀椀dent in what you know
and making sure you contribute early.
And 昀椀nally, stay open. There isn’t one de昀椀ned path in this space, and
that’s part of what makes it interesting.
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