Celebrating International Women's Day to #Breakthebias for women in tech

In the tech world, women are still a minority. According to a European report, only 17% of professionals in the ICT (Information and Communication Technology) sector are women. US numbers don't paint a better picture, with women representing only 28.8% of the tech workforce.

According to research by PwC, "females aren’t considering technology careers as they aren’t given enough information on what working in the sector involves and also because no one is putting it forward as an option to them."

For International Women's Day 2022 we want to #BreakTheBias for women in tech. To celebrate IWD 2022 we've caught up with some of the amazing women who work in tech at Interprefy and break the bias on Women's Day and beyond.

Ema, Viola, Merlyn, Anna, and Dorotea hold technical positions at Interprefy and love what they do. We talked to them about their experience working in a traditionally male-dominated field, how they got into tech and how they think Interprefy can help #BreakTheBias. 

• Viola Lin, Product Manager, Taiwan
• Merlyn Prosianos, Senior Technician, Philippines
• Anna Ritchie, Senior Product Manager, The Netherlands
• Ema Vuckovic, Senior QA Engineer, Serbia
• Dorotea Lazarevic, QA Engineer, Serbia

Viola, how did you get into the tech world?

I hold a business degree but I realized the beauty of coding and engineering at the beginning of my career, during my last internship in a web-tech company. Being hands-on with codes to solve users’ problems helped me to gain a sense of certainty. Then, I landed my first job as an engineer in a Taiwanese software company. I focused on my development in the CRM platform and I found myself really enjoying the positive impact brought by tech and how I could become part of a joint force. After 2 years of engineering experience, with the capability of understanding both tech and business language, I decided to pivot my career into a project/product manager as a communicating bridge for engineers and business units.

What's your experience working in a traditionally male-dominated field?

It was hard at the beginning because most of the male engineers have no confidence in female engineers. When discussing technicalities they wouldn't get into the details because they would automatically assume that you wouldn't understand. Therefore, we have to demonstrate our capability and win their trust. I didn't set any limits for myself and started to strengthen my tech knowledge by learning from my engineer colleagues. I then grew fast and built mutual trust with the team.

However, from my experience, most of the people in tech are very supportive. I also feel females,  have higher sensitivity in communication and thus would be able to convey the business idea better than male engineers. We do have an advantage in tech and I think all women have the capabilities to get involved in the tech world. So, don't underestimate yourself!

Why did you start working for Interprefy and how is it going so far

Interprefy offers a great cross-nation working environment which I have always been seeking. I enjoy the supportive culture and the flexibility brought by full-time remote-working.
As a product manager in Interprefy, I could take part in the fast-growing platform and build solutions to fulfill both clients and the business team. Although the development team is composed of members from more than 20 nations, I was surprised by how collaborative the teams are. I think "empathy" for others would be the key to working with people from different cultures and everyone in Interprefy is living this value.

I was not familiar with the complex products at the beginning, and it was the QA engineers who patiently explained everything to me. Also, I am the only member working in Taiwan and yet everyone tries their best to accommodate my schedule. I really enjoy working in this inclusive environment so far.

How do you think Interprefy's mission to break language barriers can help #BreakTheBias?

Verbal communication is always the easiest way to understand each other. By breaking language barriers, we have more access to different events and information. Not everyone is capable of speaking English and Interprefy RSI indeed has helped those non-English speakers to have a chance to participate in global events with people who speak other languages. 

Merlyn, how did you get into the tech world?

As a kid I loved tinkering with things such as broken electronics at home. So, when the time came for me to choose my studies I decided that I wanted to understand more how these things worked and how they are programmed. I took computer-related courses which gave me a better understanding and brought me into the real world of technology. The Tech world is broad and continuously innovating but I find it challenging and I am happy to be part of it. 

What's your experience working in a traditionally male-dominated field?

Working in a male-dominated field is interesting in many ways. My experience taught me how to show that anybody can be someone. It doesn’t matter what you are, where you are from and what gender you are. I do believe that in the tech world everyone is categorically equal.

Why did you start working for Interprefy and how is it going so far?

I started working for Interprefy because I find it intriguing and unique. I was eager to know what kind of support I will be into and what would be my career growth here. Interprefy provided me with a work environment that suits me. It gives me flexibility in my schedule. I've seen the company grow and improve in the past years so I am really happy to be developing my career here. 

How do you think Interprefy's mission to break language barriers can help #BreakTheBias?

Interprefy’s Mission can help #BreakTheBias by providing genuine and accurate interpretation. When people in any workplace or in any community can connect, understand, and be understood it is easier to address the issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion. People feel conscious when they speak a foreign language and feel less confident to speak up and share their ideas. By breaking language barriers with Interprefy RSI, verbal communication is not an issue, as everyone can speak in the comfort of their own tongue - with this, together we can #BreakTheBias.

Anna, how did you get into the tech world?

I studied Computer Science at university. It wasn't what I'd originally planned to study, but I got an offer I couldn't refuse. 🙂 My undergraduate studies led me to do a Master's and from there a PhD.

By the end of that, I knew I didn't want to stay in academia, but my brief research career led to me becoming a product manager at my previous company, a large international STEM publisher, while the company transformed itself to be/act/think more like a tech company.

What's your experience working in a traditionally male-dominated field?

I think I haven't been directly negatively affected by this, somehow, but I know that makes me very lucky: there are many others who've had bad/unfair experiences, of different kinds and severities.

Why did you start working for Interprefy and how is it going so far?

I'd been a product manager for my previous company for more than ten years and, though my work changed plenty over the years and I never stopped learning, I decided it was finally time to move on a make a bigger change.

Because of my Master's in language technology, my great enthusiasm for/interest in all things language, plus my experience as a product manager, joining the very new Interprefy product team was a perfect opportunity.

And it's going great so far! 😄 One thing that stands out is just how friendly and helpful everyone is at Inteprefy. I have never felt so genuinely welcomed and supported by so many people as I  do here -- from day one right through to today -- despite the (expected) barrier of everyone working remotely and "alone" at home. Far from feeling alone, I feel like I have colleagues in all corners of the world right next to me, ready to help when I need it.

How do you think Interprefy's mission to break language barriers can help #BreakTheBias?

I think very few problems are solved by not talking about them. If we bring more people together to talk about more issues, we're helping.

Ema, how did you get into the tech world?

From a young age, I was tech-savvy, I always chose some alternative cell phone models that I could have fun installing stuff under the hood, instead of buying the popular ones. Then, in my early 20s, after an internship period, I landed a job as a technical support representative with a local software company. I was very good at it and I had lots of fun, more than working in economics, which was my college background. So, I continued to pursue this path and grabbed the opportunities that came along the way.

What's your experience working in a traditionally male-dominated field?

I've always enjoyed hanging out with boys more, I always found their games more interesting than the options I had when playing with girls. Therefore, I’ve always felt comfortable in their company, and in a way working in a male-dominated field is something that comes naturally to me. I do remember certain moments in the past, though, when they wouldn’t want to pass me the ball, despite my proven score count 🙂

Why did you start working for Interprefy and how is it going so far?

I started working for Interprefy because I was attracted by their product and the refreshing, diverse energy that the company brings, with a modern working model that I strongly identify with.

I really enjoy all the freedom that it gives me. It allows me to be independent and confident while trusting me as a professional. This kind of working relationship suits me as an individual and fits my personality greatly.

How do you think Interprefy's mission to break language barriers can help #BreakTheBias?

I think it will shed a light on many of the unseen women that are already doing a tremendous job and it will help provide opportunities to those who have been denied to engage professionally and perform globally due to market limitations. From there, the possibilities are extraordinary.

Dorotea, how did you get into the tech world?

I was very young the first time I worked on a computer, at my mom's workplace.
I was so confused with the fact that she could send a message to someone on the other side of the world, without the postman involved! I got very intrigued and that's how it began. Later on, I started reading a lot about how computers work, what they were used for, and what you could do with all that power. I realized that in the tech world, everything is possible...and that sure is a fact that can raise a person's interest and push them through the doors of the tech world.

What's your experience working in a traditionally male-dominated field?

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