Math, science and technology – no girls allowed? Some would argue that’s still the case.
But thanks to female tech-savvy leaders like Sheryl Sandberg, Virginia Rometty and Meg Whitman, the tide seems to be turning.
“A woman’s point of view is needed and being increasingly embraced in the tech world,” says Jalak Jobanputra, managing director and founding partner of RTP Ventures, a $120M venture capitol fund in NYC.
While the popular excuse for the lack of women in tech is ‘girls aren’t interested,’ the results of a new survey conducted by the Girl Scouts Research Institute show otherwise. Turns out, 74 percent of teen girls are considering exploring science, technology, engineering and math-related careers.
When it comes to leaders in this field, Jobanputra says many women have what it takes. But too often, they don’t demonstrate this enough to others.
“Believing in what you’re doing and bringing others around to that point of view is important,” says Jobanputra. She feels it’s all about power of persuasion.
“Building credibility is key in this industry,” adds Deborah Farrington, founder and general partner of StarVest Partners.
She encourages women to build a leadership persona and find a specialization that makes them invaluable to their company. “This means managing others, starting a new organization or joining the board of a nonprofit group [in the industry].”
Bonus PINK Link: Find out more on the women in technology trend here.
Which women in technology do you admire? and let us know!
By S. Sam Higgins
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