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The information technology industry is growing and the demand for women is great. At the same time, many women choose to leave the industry. One of the reasons is the hidden traps of women. To avoid falling into the trap, systems developer Sofie Svensson chose her own strategy: cultivating her profile of incompetence.
The equation doesn’t add up. The tech industry is crying out for skills and women are a definite shortage. But it is difficult to attract them. Various polls also show that up to 40 percent of women in the industry are considering leaving.
The main reason is the culture in the workplace. Among other things, women experience that they are often assigned more administrative and organizational tasks and that, therefore, it is more difficult for them to be truly included and pursue a career.
One of them is Sofie Svensson, a systems developer at Bonnier News Tech. When she recently graduated, she felt a bit inferior to her more experienced male colleagues.
– In good faith, my boss tried to give me information that could make me feel safe. At first it felt good, I just wanted to help, but that was not what I wanted. I wanted to become a smart systems scientist, says Sofie Svensson.
She tried to say no on the grounds that she wasn’t that good at that kind of information, but no one really believed her. In the end, Sofie Svensson found another way: she cultivated her own profile of incompetence. That is, you did the most organizational tasks poorly enough to avoid getting more. The strategy worked.
– By opting out of the more typical “girl jobs”, I was able to chart my own career path. I was able to immerse myself in programming rather than get stuck in a role where I felt my chances of developing were slowing down.
Different essential perspectives
Everyone benefits from an inclusive work culture, says Elin Eriksson, director of Women in Tech Sweden, a network for women in tech.
– Basically, this is a critical business problem. Successful companies are made up of people with different perspectives and experiences. To attract the best talent and build the sharpest teams, companies must be able to attract women and then make them want to stay.
– They cannot afford to miss that opportunity. Today’s women trap companies when they apply for jobs and if companies don’t dare to change the culture, they will lose, says Elin Eriksson.
Important with networks and role models
On March 10, Women in Tech will host the largest women’s technology conference in the Nordic region. This is the eighth consecutive year and this year’s digital edition brings together 3,500 participants, which is a record.
– We want to attract more women to the industry and know that the need for networks and role models is great. There, the conference plays an important role. And we welcome people of all genders to participate, says Elin Eriksson.
Bonnier News Tech is a partner at Women in Tech. During one of the conference sessions, Frida Nyvinger, director of customer experience at Bonnier News, and Sofie Svensson find themselves in a conversation about how to navigate to avoid “girl jobs.” , how strategies must change and why it is so important to have a strong incompetence profile.
