Women in Technology at ICON

In 2022 I founded the ICON’s Women in Technology, under our Networking Organisation of Women. As both a Diversity and Inclusion Advocate and a member of the Networking Organisation of Women, as well as a board member the Grit International Female Accelerator, where we create programs that investing in Healthcare & Life Science for Female Founders, I decided that it was time to tackle the challenge I could see within my own department, that is, the lack of female representation on every level in IT. IT is heavily male dominated industry, not just ICON but generally. The literature tells us that technology needs diversity, especially when we are trying to build products that will be consumed by over 51% of the general population. 

As an organisation, we need to challenge the current environment, by bringing in more diverse experience and viewpoints, which will enable us to create more innovative solutions. Why? Not only is it the right thing to do, diversity has a business impact, not only on the ability to creatively innovate but more diverse organisations achieve about 35% increase in revenues.

Believe in yourself. You are good enough; for example, when you go into a new job or when you get a promotion, you are not meant to know everything - the whole point is that you're learning, you're growing and that, is progress. If you are in a job and you know everything, you're not pushing yourself. You're still there in the same skin. Whereas when you go into a new position, you will be outside your comfort zone, stretching yourself all the time. There's been positions that I've been in where I've woken up and I've gone, what am I going doing here? I've got this meeting in front of me where I've got to present something I may not be an expert in, it feels like I should not be there but with each meeting and each challenge, you get through it and you live to see another day and more importantly, you have learned something – result!

Well, the first thing I would say about imposter syndrome is how you view it; I used to look at it as a real negative connotation, but I've turned that on its head and realized that my imposter syndrome or my belief that I was not good enough, throughout the years actually made me work harder, made me research more and made me prepare more. I always felt I wasn't good enough because I joined a clinical research company without a degree. I was hiring people with Degrees, Master’s, and PhDs, and I thought these people must be far smarter than me because they've gone to college. So in 2017, I set myself a new challenge and did an MBA and did not think it was as difficult as it was made out to be. It was then I realized that I was good enough. 

I would say to people who feel that imposter syndrome, is to use it to your advantage, embrace it, and take the positives out of it. I think the other thing, is imposter syndrome isn't a bad thing. It's just there. We all feel it. It's trying to chip at our confidence, but remember you are good enough and if you are unsure, take the time to evaluate why you think you are not good enough. It might surprise you what you do know. And never ever seek validation in someone else!

I was introduced to IAmRemarkable while working with Google, which is designed to help elevate and empower women and other underrepresented groups to recognise and celebrate their achievements. 

#IAmRemarkable is a global movement that empowers everyone, including underrepresented groups, to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond, while challenging the social perception around self-promotion. IAmRemarkable provide all the material to deliver a workshop which women and men and underrepresented groups to learn how to own their accomplishments and the importance of self-promotion. 

The research argues that if you promote yourself you are twice as likely to get a promotion. It's very important to make sure that your accomplishments are heard, both by your team and your management, and up above. Don't assume that someone else is going to come along and notice all the work that you're doing or offer you a new position or a promotion – you have to ask for opportunities. 

Sometimes when you self-promote it can be interpreted as bragging, especially for women. What the IAmRemarkable course gives you is that the understanding and the ability to be able to do that self-promotion and understand the impact of it all. I brought this into ICON, I am a facilitator and I have rolled this out to many more people across the organisation by encouraging others to become facilitators and roll it out to their groups.

When I speak to women, I encourage them by telling them they need to ask for what you want or go for the job with the next level up, even if that is not in your wheelhouse, there are lots of transferrable skills. Nobody is going to come and ask you; do you want this job? You’ve got to take the initiative. 

Do you want this challenge? If you don't ask, you'll never know, and you'll never be given the opportunities if you don't ask.

If you're interested in exploring a career in technolgy at ICON, view our current IT vacancies today.