As a woman navigating the world of tech and subsequently leadership, you’re likely all too familiar with the unique challenges that come with the territory. Whether it’s battling imposter syndrome or finding your voice in rooms where you might be the only woman, the journey can sometimes feel overwhelming. One thing I’ve learned through my own experience is that you don’t have to go it alone. In fact, mentorship has been one of the most important elements in my own growth, and it continues to shape how I approach my career.

But here’s the thing: mentorship isn’t just about having one person by your side throughout your entire career. Your needs change as you grow, and the mentors who help you early on might not be the same ones who guide you when you’re at a senior leadership level. The beauty of mentorship lies in its fluidity, allowing you to seek out different people at different stages of your career to help tackle the challenges you’re facing in that moment.

As a kid, I always loved solving math problems and playing on computers. But never did I think back then I’d pursue a career as a software engineer.

It probably would have taken me longer to find my career path had I not considered the military as an option. For that, I owe a debt of gratitude to my aunt, a Naval Academy grad and a commissioned Marine who spoke so highly of her military service that it made me also curious to see if the military could be an attractive avenue for me to pursue. After graduating from the Coast Guard Academy, I launched a five-year mission that not only fulfilled my desire to serve our nation, but also honed my technical skills.

In all honesty, even as a recruiter, I hesitated when my company was asked to participate in a virtual job fair. How on earth is that going to work?! Is it worth my company’s time? If we cannot see the person and receive their resume on the spot, why bother? Boy was I wrong!

Above all, the more structured format of a virtual job fair equalizes the playing field for the job seeker. It removes barriers. You can network in the comfort of your own home instead of navigating the Beltway at rush hour and scrambling to find inexpensive parking. There are fewer crazy, long lines at popular companies. All job seekers essentially have the same amount of time allotted to them by the employer. You do not have to wait with frustration behind a long-winded job seeker who is monopolizing a recruiter’s time. Lastly, your resume is available and easily accessible to recruiters before, during and even after the event, increasing your visibility with a potential employer!

Two-thirds of workers aged 45 to 74 say they have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace, according to an AARP study.  So it’s no surprise that older workers—even professionals with stellar careers and credentials—often find it harder than their younger counterparts to find a new job, especially after becoming unemployed.

Strategies for overcoming ageism:

Did you leave a technical career behind to care for family or take an alternative path for work/life balance? If you are ready to return or transition to a technical field, the timing could not be better. Despite the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic, the demand for talent in the technology sector continues to grow, and this is especially true in the DC metro area. Explore Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Tech Talent Initiative or Northern Virginia Community College’s Labor Market Research to learn more about in-demand jobs. No matter how you cut it, there are more opportunities than ever for women returning to technical career paths!

OK. The demand for tech talent is out there, but how do you get noticed by Hiring Managers when you lack recent technical work experience?  Here are a few tips to get you started:

John C. Maxwell said, “One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead, what others cannot see, and to help them navigate a course to their destination.” When I couldn’t see what was ahead of me, amazing mentors helped me see unconditionally and selflessly. Twenty years ago, I was an international student here in the U.S. and did not know how to navigate even the next step. If it were not for three women who helped during my foundational years, I would never be where I am today – a successful Operations and Engineering Senior Manager in a large corporation.

My first mentor, an International Coordinator, who herself was an International student once, not only helped “Americanized” me but also helped me build my very first brand! Another mentor stepped up after 9/11 when there were no on-campus jobs. The Dean of Students, worked her magic in creating positions for students like me who are always short of funding so we could stay in the U.S. Finally, my host mother was the first employer to allow on-campus jobs for International Students. Her program for senior citizens catered to lifelong learning and gave me a job where I could make money and contribute to an inspirational program.

Did you leave a STEM career behind to care for family or take an alternative path for work/life balance? If you are ready to return or transition to a technical field, the timing could not be better. Despite the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic, demand in STEM fields continues to grow, and this is especially true in the DC metro area. Explore Northern Virginia Technology Council’s Tech Talent Initiative or Northern Virginia Community College’s Labor Market Research to learn more about in-demand jobs. No matter how you cut it, there are more opportunities than ever for women returning to technical career paths!

OK. So the demand for tech talent is out there, but how do you get noticed by Hiring Managers when you lack recent technical work experience?  Here are a few tips to get you started:

Easy Dynamics (ED) and Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) are attending Women in Technology’s virtual career fair on Nov. 5— to give you a head start, we asked them what they look for in a candidate, what positions they’re hiring for, if they offer training and more. 

What positions are you hiring for at the fair?

COVID-19 has forced employers and professional organizations to quickly pivot to conducting interviews and running networking events in a digital environment. Honestly, I doubt we will ever return completely back to “normal”. Instead, I see a future where job seekers and prospective employers regularly interact using both technology platforms and in-person exchanges. If you are waiting to start your job search until things settle back to normal, you are missing out on opportunities to connect and delaying the inevitable need to adjust to a new normal. Here are a few best practices to get you comfortably networking and interviewing in a virtual environment:

Get Camera Ready

Being camera ready involves using the proper equipment, creating the right environment, projecting a professional image, and mastering standard video technology features.

1. Leading the Nation in Tech Hiring - This year Virginia had more tech job posting growth than California and New York according to a recent report by Dice.com, making it one of the few states in the nation to experience job growth despite a pandemic. All in all, the Capital Region expects to add more than 130,000 tech jobs in the next five years. Who is leading Virginia’s tech job growth according to the report?  Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and Leidos - all headquartered in Northern Virginia, which brings us to our next point…
   
   
2. Employers that Support Your Entire Career - One of the reasons Northern Virginia’s tech scene has not just been resilient, but thriving, despite a national economic crisis? A diverse economy. While other tech scenes depend on the success of a few big names or industries, Northern Virginia’s tech scene supports just about every industry. Tech employers here fuel government agencies, major financial institutions, retail and more. That means across your career you can work for one of the 20+ Fortune 500 companies here or one of the hundreds of Inc. 5000 startups taking off.
   
   
3. A Diverse and Welcoming Community - We are one of the country’s most racially, ethnically and internationally diverse regions. Women are twice as likely and African Americans five times as likely to work in tech in Northern Virginia than in Silicon Valley; and our communities are ranked among the most LGBTQ-friendly nationwide. The region’s population includes 27 percent international residents, representing more than 120 countries. It is no wonder why 15 Northern Virginia-based companies are among Forbes’ “Best Employers for Diversity 2020” in America.
   
   
4. Your Work Here Makes an Impact - While startups in Boston and San Francisco meet consumer demands, tech companies in Northern Virginia are solving the country’s most pressing needs. Case in point: technology developed in Northern Virginia became the foundation for the Internet and the digital revolution. On a daily basis, Northern Virginia cybersecurity heroes are warding off attacks on national security and tech firms are hacking solutions for the environment, education and more. 
   
   
5. Variety and Amenities That You Can Afford - There’s a reason Northern Virginia’s communities have been ranked among the best in the U.S. for young professionals and millennials. In addition to our booming economy, Northern Virginia offers high-value living that other metros can’t. Cost of living in Northern Virginia is 34 percent lower than Manhattan and 19 percent lower than San Francisco. That means you can reap more square footage (and if you choose to own, save huge on property taxes) whether you choose a new high-rise apartment with luxury amenities or a home with acreage - all just minutes from D.C. and next to natural beauty. Plus, you’ll have access to some of the nation’s best public schools: Fairfax County Public Schools — the nation's 10th largest school system — consistently ranks among the top districts in the US and includes Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, the number one public high school according to US News & World Report's ranking. You can read more in The Verge on why Northern Virginia is so livable.

Ready to relocate or continue your tech career in Northern Virginia? Visit the booths of HP and Easy Dynamics today. Visit WorkinNorthernVirginia.com to view jobs, a cost of living calculator, community quiz and more. You can also secure your free spot for our Cyber and Cloud Virtual Career Fair January 28. 

Everyone has a budget. Big, small, or in between, you have to work within those parameters. Research shows that B2B services companies, for example, spend an average of about 12% of their overall budget on marketing. It’s a wise commitment that can pay off big time.

But are you getting the most out of your marketing spend? Here’s how you can start right now.

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS
In a changing climate, it’s sometimes wise to step back and take a deeper look. Maybe you’ve always marketed in a certain way, and it’s worked well, but things are different today. That’s why the most important question you can ask yourself is: “How can I best market this product or service right now, given the current needs and behaviors of our target audience?”

Once you have an updated understanding of your audience and how that aligns with your company’s value proposition, you can better assess what type of marketing approach is optimal. Will it be what you did before? Maybe… but it could also turn out that a different approach will give you way more bang for your buck.

PICK THAT LOW-HANGING FRUIT
Have you tuned up your SEO lately? Updated stale content on your website? Revamped your email templates to match your overall brand? Honed your messaging? You can give your marketing efforts a quick but meaningful boost with relatively little commitment. 

MODERNIZE YOUR TOOLKIT
Digital marketing evolves quickly, and if you’re not using up-to-date tools, you may be missing out. First, check out the basics: Is your email marketing service robust enough for your needs? Is it time to switch to a marketing automation platform to more effectively manage your interactions with your target audiences? If you are already using a marketing automation platform, are you taking full advantage of customization options to provide targeted content based on audience profiles?

And what about online advertising? Are you getting the most out of it? It might be wise to look at whether the content you are providing on your website is attracting the traffic you want. If there’s a disconnect, perhaps it’s time to start using an online content insight tool like BuzzSumo to better understand what topics are connecting with people. And once you’ve identified the right subject matter, you can decide whether to add something like an e-book or podcast to share your thought leadership with maximum impact.

Don’t Waste Money on Mediocre Marketing
Slapdash efforts are not only a waste of money, they can be actively detrimental to your brand. On the other hand: High quality marketing is worth the work. And it might cost less than you think to develop a tightly focused campaign, or a small social media spend. Or maybe you need to invest some time in your brand: build personas, understand your audience behaviors, find their pain points, and develop refined, effective messaging. It will reward you handsomely down the road.

Denise Hart is President of O2 Lab, a marketing firm focused on technology and healthcare organizations; deploying digital, print, motion, and social media campaigns that drive results.

The primary objective of the WIT. Connect program is to provide high-value networking and educational programs that bring women of metropolitan Washington’s diverse technology community together to expand their relationships and knowledge.

Due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, WIT had to pivot to ensure we continued executing our two final WIT. Connect events of the year. COVID-19 provided WIT with an opportunity to expand our reach virtually outside of metropolitan Washington as well as to non-WIT members.

The 2019 - 2020 WIT season saw a lot of challenges, accomplishments, and growth - and we are proud to share a few of our highlights. In total, our WIT. Connect program featured 18 outstanding women who lead across the Federal, Local, State, Non-Profit, Education, and Corporate sectors. We were able to provide valuable, educational content to over 280 WIT and non-WIT members and facilitate important conversations from data science to healthcare to diversity and inclusion in the field of technology. Our women investigated sixth-sense technology, discussed the advancements happening at the intersection of health and applied science, and investigated the mechanics of green initiatives to help our planet.

We go deeper than just the technological buzzwords at WIT. We are here to encourage conversation, exploration, and understanding. We thank you for a wonderful 2019 - 2020 season and look forward to seeing you soon at our next WIT. Connect program!

Sincerely,

Amber Hart
WIT Board Member, WIT.Connect

The first time I wrote this blog, it was eight months ago for WIT’s fall 2019 job fair. How quickly life can change! I touted the tight labor market as the perfect opportunity for professionals with career gaps to successfully re-enter the workforce. Returners remain an amazing untapped talent pool. But COVID-19 has hit women, especially caregivers, hard. Women are opting out of the workforce due to the pandemic, and studies show that getting back in is harder for women, especially older women.  At FlexProfessionals, we routinely and successfully place professionals who have significant career gaps, and I am not talking small gaps but breaks of 5, 10, and 15+ years. What are the secrets to successful re-entry?  Here are a few to get you started:

Believe in Your Professional Self

Most importantly, do WHATEVER it takes to maintain or regain confidence. You bring tremendous value to employers. Not only do they benefit from your diverse skillset, but you bring good judgement, commitment, unparalleled productivity, and trusted communication skills to the workplace. Start to become aware of how you communicate your value. Most re-entry candidates begin by highlighting the number of years that they have been out of work. No employer is going to hire you for your gap. Avoid long-winded, defensive, or apologetic explanations with lots of personal details. Instead, be proud of your decision to stay home, and quickly shift the conversation to your skills and accomplishments. Be careful not to dismiss your volunteer work because it is unpaid, or prior professional accomplishments because they are old. Think of yourself as the talented professional you are, and people in a position to hire you will think of you as the same. Watch this Amy Cuddy TED Talk for a little motivation and encouragement.   

Knowledge is power. The more we know, the more we can do, and the more we can contribute to our communities and organizations. At the conclusion of our latest WIT.Connect, WIT asked our panelist to recommend and share one resource that they thought would be helpful to our audience:

COVID-19 has forced employers and professional organizations to quickly pivot to conducting interviews and running networking events in a digital environment. Honestly, I doubt we will ever return completely back to “normal”. Instead, I see a future where job seekers and prospective employers regularly interact using both technology platforms and in-person exchanges. If you are waiting to start your job search until things settle back to normal, you are missing out on opportunities to connect and delaying the inevitable need to adjust to a new normal. Here are a few best practices to get you comfortably networking and interviewing in a virtual environment:

Get Camera Ready

Being camera ready involves using the proper equipment, creating the right environment, projecting a professional image, and mastering standard video technology features.

When you’re bringing people back into the office post-lockdown, nothing is more important than communicating well. Before, during, and after the transition, staff need to get up to speed quickly on all new protocols and restrictions to ensure a smooth, safe re-entry. They also need to hear from you as a form of reassurance that the company has a strong, well conceived plan. Effective internal communications takes smart thinking—and some of the same tools you use to market to outside audiences.

Here are some ground rules.

Choose Clarity.
This is not the time for vagueness. If you want to achieve your reopening goals, you need to be absolutely clear—word choice matters. For example, there’s a difference between saying “wear a mask” and saying “masks must be worn in public spaces where 6-foot social distancing is not possible.” Make sure your messaging is aligned across all communications and throughout all departments to eliminate any confusion or the appearance of disorganization.

Hopefully, you’ve already registered for the upcoming Women In Technology Job fair on 6/25/2020. It is our first virtual job fair, and maybe yours too, but online career fairs and forums have been around for several years now and are a tried and true way to engage with potential employers. Here are a few pointers on how to prepare, what to expect and the benefits of participating in this type of event.

First of all, if you have not yet registered, here is the link. This will not only give you registration access (free for job seekers), but it offers a virtual tour of the platform so you know a little bit about what to expect and can check things out to ensure that when the event goes live, you are able to make the most of it. 

Marketing during a global crisis can seem like an impossible task. More and more Americans are unemployed due to the current pandemic, and no one knows what the next week will look like, much less the next sales quarter.

While we work from home to help flatten the curve during this pandemic, we are also working hard to help our clients navigate a time of deep uncertainty and change. We’d like to share with you some insights gleaned from this “new normal.”

Zoë Morris is President at a niche technology staffing firm Mason Frank International. Under her leadership, the company has achieved substantial year-on-year growth and won many industry-based awards.

When it comes to getting more women into the tech industry, there’s work to be done across the board.