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IT Women
April 28, 2008
Women have made strides moving into the IT workforce, but they still have a way to go. Luckily there are more opportunities than many realize.
By Julieann Scalisi
When thinking about IT professionals, most don't envision high energy female executives who jet set, power lunch, and juggle career and family. Many see the geeky techie stereotype portrayed in movies. The reality of a career in IT, however, is far different. The struggle of work/life balance, and the perception that technology is a dry subject, can be off-putting. But IT is a growing, exciting industry where opportunities and resources abound for women. Contrary to geeky stereotypes implying otherwise, and the gender gap, it’s an industry where women can thrive and have well-rounded careers and lives.
Opportunities Abound
In seven years as an IT training manager for Citrix Systems, Inc., I've learned about and been able to use technologies that are revolutionizing the way people work. Working for a company like Citrix has given me exposure to new products and technologies even before they hit the marketplace. I find this to be extremely rewarding. In addition, I've had great opportunities to travel to incredible countries including Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, and England to meet with key customers and partners. Later this year, I’ll travel to Sweden—another country I've never visited before.
Since my focus is on training and certification, I am aware of the tremendous opportunity for women who are interested in becoming IT trainers or learning new technologies to move into a technical role such as administrator, engineer, or architect. Women can break through and succeed in the industry by continuously learning and applying knowledge and skills obtained. In IT, it's especially important to continue to build your knowledge base, and the right training and certification can provide the necessary tools to do so.
Fortunately these opportunities don't mean women have to sacrifice their personal lives. In an effort to balance my work and family, for example, I extended a couple of my business trips and brought my sons, now 19 and 14, along. In addition, other opportunities in the IT workplace not only contribute to my ability to successfully maintain this balance, but help guide my children’s career choices. My eldest son is majoring in computer engineering, and is so impressed with Citrix as a place to work, he'd like to land an internship here over the summer. My 14-year-old is interested in media and graphic design, and already interned at Citrix as part of a school project focused on providing students with exposure to potential careers. He's met with members of my team to learn about the design programs they use to perform their jobs.
Not So Unequal After All
Since I first joined the company, Citrix's product family has grown extensively and the growth potential continues, especially now that the virtualization and application delivery markets are in such high demand. Possibilities in this growing, exciting, lucrative field are enormous, and not as limited to the male population as some might think. Yes, it's true men largely dominate IT. Interestingly, over the last several years I've seen a slight increase in the number of female trainers while the number of female students has remained fairly consistent. It's important to note, however, despite the gender gap that many of the challenges in IT are not discriminatory to women or men. Everyone in the field needs to keep up with ever-evolving technology, which is why training and certification play such an important role. The right training and certification can increase credibility, knowledge, confidence, and even salary potential for women.
In fact, the 2006-2007 Women in Technology Study by Sheila Greco Associates found women's IT salaries competitive with those of their male counterparts. Redmond Magazine's 2007 salary survey results further reinforced how certifications factor into one's salary. Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrators' (CCEAs) and Citrix Certified Administrators' (CCAs) salaries ranked 6th and 12th respectively in a survey of non-Microsoft certificants. A related article in the December 2006 issue of Certification Magazine stated the average salary increase of survey respondents holding at least one IT certification beat the national average by 12 percent, further demonstrating how certifications contribute to salaries.
Thriving in IT
Women in IT are up against specific challenges, such as gender stereotypes and the corporate glass ceiling, but there are ways to address and overcome these challenges in order to be successful. When I began my career at Citrix seven years ago, I had 10-plus years in training related experience. Surrounded by talented, supportive managers, peers, and staff, I continue to be recognized for my efforts, take on more responsibility, and feel inspired by opportunities that exist within my current role and the organization.
For women interested in furthering their IT careers, here’s my advice: become educated by taking training classes, preparing for and earning associated certifications, and gaining hands-on experience. Most top IT training organizations like Citrix provide learning options for busy professionals who can't always travel to training due to work or family. Many courses are offered virtually with an instructor facilitating the class from a remote location, and some online options even provide access to hands-on labs. The possibilities are growing, and as learning technologies evolve more obstacles to learning are being reduced or eliminated.
In addition to obtaining training and certifications, it’s also important for women to seek opportunities to demonstrate leadership and learn new tasks. When working on or managing projects, a results-oriented approach is always effective. As more contributions are made to an organization's success, more recognition will come for the value added. Finally, I cannot overemphasize the importance of building and maintaining solid working relationships. Seeking a mentor also is a good approach. Female role models are in short supply in corporate America—just 13 Fortune 500 companies are led by women. As more women break through the C-level ceiling, more also will emerge at mid-level positions.
This is a good time for women to advance in IT. It doesn’t take a Ph.D. or even a dominant geek streak to succeed in this industry. As long as women are willing to work hard and prove themselves, opportunities exist. Women can succeed and advance while receiving the pay, perks, and recognition they deserve.
Julieann Scalisi is Managing Director of Citrix Education. To learn more visit http://www.citrixeducation.com.
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