Susanne Tedrick, the award-winning author of Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators, met with us to discuss how women of color can jump-start, transition to or further evolve their career in technology. In addition, Susanne shares how tech professionals can stay relevant in today’s rapidly evolving job market.
In this conversation Susanne shares:
- Current challenges impacting women of color in technology roles.
- What is allyship and how individuals in technology roles can ally with women of color.
- In demand technology fields, skills and education options.
- Why you deserve to be paid what you are worth.
- Networking opportunities for introverts.
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Questions that Susanne answers:
- [1:28] An interesting fact about Susanne.
- [2:34] What prompted writing a book about Women of Color in Technology?
- [4:30] What challenges do women of color face today?
- [7:49] How can women of color enter a market dominated by a different demographic?
- [10:49] What advice do you have for men working in technology to help create inclusion opportunities for women of color?
- [12:52] What advice would you give those interested in a tech career but are new to the topic?
- [15:10] What are the career options in today’s market?
- [18:27] What is a Cloud Technical Specialist?
- [19:30] What is the difference between a coach, mentor and sponsor?
- [23:09] Which technical trainings, certifications and experiences should people pursue to help close skill gaps?
- [27:30] How can people negotiate their salary when starting a new role?
- [34:23] How can introverts prepare to interact with larger groups or clients?
- [37:15] How/where to get Susanne’s book, Women of Color in Tech?
- [39:06] How can we stay abreast with current and emerging tech to stay relevant? (AUDIENCE MEMBER QUESTION)
- [41:07] How can an individual, with extensive experience in a non-tech field, leverage their current expertise to be valuable when transitioning to a tech field? (AUDIENCE MEMBER QUESTION)
- [43:12] What skills should a person learn if they are interested in moving into a data analytics field? (AUDIENCE MEMBER QUESTION)
- [45:12] Are there specific certifications or degrees that are recommended for moving into a technology field? (AUDIENCE MEMBER QUESTION)
- [51:08] How can we introduce technology to children, of under-represented demographics, to help them become interested in technology careers? (AUDIENCE MEMBER QUESTION)
- [54:06] How should introverts approach networking and where should they network when they don’t have access to technology professionals? (AUDIENCE MEMBER QUESTION)
Useful Links:
- You can connect with Susanne on her website, Twitter and Linkedin.
- You can get Susanne’s new book, Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators, by visiting WeBelongInTech.com.
Special thanks to the students, alumni and administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the College of DuPage for their help in making this episode a success.
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