Leadership advice for women in tech: Managing imposter syndrome and more

Between dealing with imposter syndrome, negotiating a fair salary, and constantly advocating for yourself, being a woman in the tech industry isn’t without its challenges.

Jessica 'JB' Billiet, Pluralsight Principal Consultant for Workforce Transformation; Jill Cason, Southwest Airlines Senior Business Partner; Kate Taylor, Morgan Stanley Executive Director for Head Global Technology Talent Development; and Kesha Williams, Slalom Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture & Engineering, share how they overcame obstacles and empowered themselves throughout their careers. They also explain how they use their positions as leaders in tech to empower other women. 

Want to hear why they’re passionate about tech, how they got into their roles, and the rest of their insights? Watch the webinar on-demand now.

Imposter syndrome is more common than you might think. “58% of women in tech report that they struggle with imposter syndrome,” says JB. “ This feeling is amplified, of course, when you're one of the few women in the room or just working in tech—it's a male dominated field.”

Kesha, Jill, and Kate share their advice to overcome feelings of self-doubt. 

When imposter syndrome rears its head, it’s helpful to have a record of your past achievements to remind you of everything you’re capable of. 

“I've definitely experienced imposter syndrome throughout my career. It's something that still plagues me to this day. I will say, though, that once I hit a certain age, I just stopped caring about it,” says Kesha.

When she starts to feel imposter syndrome or self-doubt creep back in, she returns to her LinkedIn page for a record of everything she’s accomplished. 

“I tell myself, ‘You've done this, you've done this, you've done this. You shouldn't be feeling the way that you're feeling,’” she says. 

Sometimes, what you think is a weakness is actually a strength—you just need to flip your perspective. 

Jill shares an example from when she interviewed for a technology implementation consulting position. “I have a BA in history and a minor in book science, and I do finance and workforce operations. This is so not me,” she says. 

“But then the interviewer later on in our discussion pointed out that they thought that my background, all of my education, all of the experiences that I've had thus far would allow me to be a really good liaison between the business and the technologist. I would be able to communicate well, and I could think in the gray and bridge those gaps. 

“And that has always really stuck with me. There are things that I can contribute that other people can't, and there is a reason that I am at that table or in the meeting. It's because I have things to contribute, and I am good at what I do.”

You know more than you think you do, but there may be times when you need or want to shore up your knowledge. If you feel like you genuinely don’t have the knowledge or skills you need, go learn.

“I'm not an engineer, but there are a lot of things about technology that I do understand that I have learned over the years,” says Kate.

“When I’m wading into an area that I don't have experience in, I go and learn something about it. And that's one of the things that I love about the online learning platforms—I can go and take an introductory course. I'm not going to become a network engineer, but I can understand enough to be conversant and not feel like an idiot in front of all of these incredibly bright people.”

On average, women make about 84 cents for every dollar earned by men. The gap is wider for working mothers, and even wider for women of color.

The gender pay gap is clear, but negotiating salaries and promotions is often a challenge for women. Here are strategies that worked. 

First and foremost, always negotiate. Always give yourself the opportunity to advocate for yourself.

“My experiences have taught me to always negotiate, no matter if it makes you feel uncomfortable, no matter if you're concerned about what someone else may think or what someone else may say. Just by default, always negotiate,” says Kesha.

Know the value of you and your work. Do your research so you can go into negotiations well-informed.

“We're lucky today because New York, Colorado, and California now require posting of salaries when they post a job description. So do some research. Sometimes those ranges are so broad it's hard to tell,” says Kate.

“But if you do enough research, you can get a sense of what the fair market value is for a given role. You could even be armed with some examples like, ‘Well, looking at this company, this is what they're offering for this.’

“Bring that to the table and don't do what I did and let somebody play on your emotions. Stand your ground.”

Leaders have the power to directly impact salaries and promotions. Don’t be afraid to advocate for the women on your team. You never know when your input can result in an immediate change.

“I had a direct report who came to me, and she was upset. She had missed her rent payment,” shares JB. “I marched my britches right up to the boss's office, and I demanded a raise for her. I left that office feeling so triumphant because she got a pretty significant raise.”

If you’re a leader, help women in tech keep a record of their accomplishments and make sure they’re recognized for their work. This will help you advocate for them when raise or promotion opportunities arise. 

Just being an ally is important, too. “In passing, I had a conversation with one of the top leaders in the organization,” says Kesha. “And he said to me, ‘Oh, I heard you gave us a really hard time during negotiations.’ And then there was this awkward silence. And I'm like, ‘Okay, what is he going to say next?’ And he's like, ‘Good for you.’ 

“And so that underscores the importance of just having an ally or someone there that will actually stand up for you and validate how you're feeling.”

From dealing with bias in the workplace to finding mentors and advocating for others, JB, Jill, Kate, and Kesha share more about their experiences as women in tech—watch the on-demand webinar for all of their advice.

Get more advice:

• Women in tech share tips to break into the industry
• Standing out: Tips for non-binary professionals and women in tech careers