Susanne Tedrick - Women of Color in Tech

1 Cover

2 Foreword Foreword It all starts with a decision. The willful choice to prioritize your interests in the face of the unknown, the uncharted, and what could be a long road of isolation. It is met with an affirmation. A belief that you belong here. That your ideas are worthwhile, your thoughts serve a purpose, and your perspective is a value add. And accompanied by a notion. A declaration that science, technology, engineering, and math don't have a color. They don't have a face. They belong to no one and everyone, for the whole and the betterment of all. Your presence in STEM is an act of courage. As if your choice to pursue your passions wasn't radical enough, here you are, prepared to beat the odds, defy the disparaging stats, and stare down adversity while carving a path, exploring new territory and laying our future. Thank you for being a catalyst for innovation and the personification of endless possibility. The work that you have done, and will do, is admirable, relevant, and necessary. You are just the right person to perform it. Amanda Spann Innovation Consultant & App Entrepreneur AmandaSpann.com

3 Introduction

4 CHAPTER 1: The Current State of Women of Color in Tech The Realities What's Going On? Why You Should Be Here Tech Career Misconceptions Creating a Blueprint Summary

5 CHAPTER 2: The Different Flavors of Tech Careers Business Analysis Consulting Computer Networking Data Science Information Security Product Management Project Management Software Development and Engineering Technical Sales Technical Support User Experience Design Web Design Where Do You Fit In? Summary Note

6 CHAPTER 3: Industry and Other Options Advertising and Marketing Civics and Public Interest Construction and Manufacturing Education Finance Healthcare The US Government On Your Own: Entrepreneurism Summary

7 CHAPTER 4: Emerging Technologies What Is an Emerging Technology? The Future of Work Artificial Intelligence Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality Blockchain Cloud Computing Internet of Things 3D Printing Keeping Up with Technology Trends Summary

8 CHAPTER 5: Building Your Network The Importance of Building Your Network Where to Network Mentoring Overcoming Social Anxiety Strengthening Your Connections Summary

9 CHAPTER 6: Building Your Skills Skills Gap Analysis: Where Do You Need to Be? Formal Education (Is It Worth It?) Trade Schools Massive Online Open Courses Boot Camps Hackathons Conferences and Seminars Internships, Externships, and Co-ops Volunteering Certifications How to Pay for Skills Training Summary

10 CHAPTER 7: Demonstrating Your Skills Building Your Resume(s) LinkedIn Writing Public Speaking Other Creative Ways to Show What You Know Building Your Interviewing Skills Becoming a Better Interviewee Summary

11 CHAPTER 8: Job Offers and Negotiating Compensation A Cautionary Tale (or, Don't Do This!) Understanding Compensation and Salary The Job Offer Process Evaluating a Job Offer Why Negotiate Your Job Offer? Preparing to Negotiate Negotiation Dos and Don'ts You Didn't Negotiate! Is It Too Late? Additional Resources Final Thoughts—It's Okay to Want (and Ask for) Money Summary Note

12 CHAPTER 9: When Times Get Tough The Need for Grit The Problem with “Twice as Good” Failure Impostor Syndrome Bias Tokenism and Being “The Only” Bullying Lack of Support and Help The Importance of Mental Health Allies and When They Fall Short Summary Note

13 CHAPTER 10: The Importance and Joy of Giving Back Why Give Back How to Give Back Summary

14 Index

15 End User License Agreement

1 Chapter 1 Table 1.1: Diversity Challenge by Cohort Table 1.2: Projected Growth of Selected Technology Jobs Table 1.3: Median Salaries of Selected Technology Careers

2 Chapter 4Table 4.1: Examples of AI in Common UseTable 4.2: Comparison of Cloud Computing Service ModelsTable 4.3: Examples of IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS Providers

3 Chapter 7Table 7.1: Examples of Action VerbsTable 7.2: Overused Words and Phrases, per LinkedIn, Careerbuilder, and Indeed

4 Chapter 8Table 8.1: Average US Household Costs

1 Chapter 1 Figure 1.1: Percentage of computing occupations held by women 2003–2017

2 Chapter 2 Figure 2.1: Example of a use-case diagramFigure 2.2: The triad constraints

3 Chapter 4Figure 4.1: Smart speaker from LGFigure 4.2: Japanese company Line's take on the smart speakerFigure 4.3: Having fun in a virtual worldFigure 4.4: Example of a blockchain network. The dots signify each participant...Figure 4.5: Devices accessing the cloudFigure 4.6: Example of a smart watchFigure 4.7: Examples of 3D printersFigure 4.8: The T-shaped professional

4 Chapter 7Figure 7.1: Chronological resume exampleFigure 7.2: Functional resume exampleFigure 7.3: Combination resume exampleFigure 7.4: Example of a LinkedIn ProfileFigure 7.5: Example Github profileFigure 7.6: Example personal website

5 Chapter 10Figure 10.1: Leading students through a resume workshopFigure 10.2: Words of encouragement from my mentee

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2 Table of Contents

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