The High Cost of Fitting In: Introverts Under Stress in Tech

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Being an introvert in an extroverts world, like the tech industry, often means facing immense pressure every day to adapt to communication and working styles that don’t come naturally.

Eventually, this pressure takes a toll and can prevent you from performing at your full potential.

The constant strain of stretching beyond your comfort zone to speak up in meetings, make small talk with colleagues and self-promote is exhausting. Most workdays you’re over extending yourself socially anyway, and then you need days to recover. This rollercoaster leaves you functioning at less than 100% both during the “on” times and the downtimes.

The problem is you’re so good at hiding it. It’s highly possible that others see you as extremely competent and all-together sorted. But they don’t know what turmoil you’re dealing with underneath, and just how much this drains you. They don’t see the absolute exhaustion that consumes your personal time.

There’s another issue that backfires too. You end up diminishing your unique contributions as an introvert — the insights that come from quiet observation and reflection. Your team and your organisation need you to lean on those strengths.

Over time, the chronic social pressure and inability to perform optimally takes a hit on career advancement. You will opt out of leadership roles because you perceive them to need constant visibility and social schmoozing. Or, you’ll passed over for promotions. Either way your career stagnates while your extroverted coworkers climb the ladder.

So what can female introverts in tech do?

1. First, recognise that some workplace pressures are unreasonable and you aren’t the problem. You have innate talents that add diversity of thought to your workplace.
2. Be selective about which expectations you’ll bend to meet, like making an effort to speak up more in key meetings. But also recognise your limits and needs. Set boundaries around your social bandwidth like limiting after-hours, lunchtime catchups or working from the office if you have that choice.
3. Look for a mentor or coach who can advise you on setting goals and navigating your career path in a way that fits your introverted tendencies.
4. Seek out opportunities to showcase your abilities in a way that compliments your natural style, like written versus oral communication. Offer to take the lead on writing technical documents, proposals or reports that require focused solo work time. Having strong written products with your name on them can build your reputation and credibility at work.
5. Seeking out leadership opportunities that maximise independent work can also help advance your career while playing to introverted strengths.

The challenges are real, but don’t become discouraged. With some adaptations to communication styles and work arrangements, female introverts can also excel in the tech industry. Valuing a diversity of work styles and perspectives is to everyone’s benefit and you have unique insights to share — the trick is finding ways to share them that work for you.

I work with female introverts in tech to help them been seen and heard so they can get promoted and have fulfilling careers.

If you’d like to talk to me about your career advancement you can book a call here.

Why not join my new Facebook group for the Introverted Executive. A space to unite with fellow introverts… separately of course.