Women of TextNow: She Who Must Not Be Named
In this series, we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day theme of #BalanceForBetter by interviewing the women of TextNow and learning more about their experience working in the tech industry.
There is a common misconception that working in tech means that you have a strict “tech” role. The truth of the matter is, there are many supporting roles unrelated to tech that are needed in order to keep any company, tech or not, afloat. And being the only female in that role is as much of a challenge as being the only female in an engineering role.
To tell this woman’s story, she has chosen to remain anonymous, as her role comprises of working in our abuse department — and if you think your online stalkers are bad, try working in legal.
For simplicity’s sake, instead of alluding to this woman as a Harry Potter villain, we will call her Katie:
- Is this your first job out of school?
Yes! - How was the transition from university to the workplace?
Coming to a tech company where there were a lot of women in leadership positions, there was a whole dynamic change for me, since I was used to the male-dominated environment at the university I attended. Knowing there were role models here, and having someone to relate to, made this the easiest transition I could have hoped for. - In your experience, what has been the biggest difference between men and women in the workplace?
For me personally, I find that I have to be more assertive, and actively try to make others (specifically men) take me seriously when providing information. This includes putting a guard up of sorts, and not showing a softer side that can be misconstrued as too “feminine”. - What support system (if any) do you have that helps you succeed in your role?
My female peers at this company have been very influential in helping me, as we all share the same background and age. Those similarities have helped us in recognizing the challenges that we face, and standing up to them knowing that we have each other as a support system. - What advice would you give to a new female graduate today looking for a job in this field?
I get you’re coming out of post-secondary and you were comfortable in that world for the last 3–4 years. But you will change and grow as a person. Be prepared to be comfortable with being uncomfortable in the work force and in life. You may not have the right answer, hell, you may not even have an answer! Not everything can be found in a textbook or a syllabus, but have grit and ask questions. It can be related to your field and it may not. Just have curiosity in the things you do. That’s how your passion in the work and in life grows. - Lastly, for fun, if you could have any group of women (real or fictional) come out for an International Women’s Day brunch with you, who would you choose?
Ali Wong, Sara Sigmundsdottir (Crossfit athlete), Chelsea Peretti and Awkwafina.
