The document discusses 5 career hacks for women in technology: 1) Act like an open API by sharing your expertise, 2) Be intentional about social media influence, 3) Show your soft side to win difficult sales, 4) Treat assignments as opportunities rather than just checking tasks off a list, and 5) Develop lifelong relationships by networking extensively. Studies show women need more opportunities for growth, exposure, and stretch assignments to advance their careers. The document advocates relationship-building, engagement on social media, and sharing knowledge as keys to career success in technology fields.

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Geek Girls are Chic:
5 Career Hacks

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Here’s what happens when women are in
positions of leadership
http://www.illuminate.com/perspectives/
35%higher return on
equity
34%better return to
shareholders
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Sources:
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~women/resources/aroundTheWeb/hostedPapers/Syllabus-Camp.pdf
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/10/21/357629765/when-women-stopped-coding
http://www.ngcproject.org/statistics
…But an increasingly smaller percentage of
computer science degrees
1984
Compared to:
2012
18% 37%
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Sources:
http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/womeninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf
© Patrick Truby, watermelon (located at https://www.flickr.com/photos/patruby/7681219276/) licensed under the
Creative Commons license at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Women represent half of the workforce but only a
quarter of STEM and IT careers
48%Workforce
24%STEM careers
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© Evan Amos, Two navel oranges, one whole and the other split in half. (located at
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orange-Whole-%26-Split.jpg) licensed under the
Creative Commons license at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

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Mind the Gap: Women
Entrepreneurs
http://www.illuminate.com/perspectives/
15%
more profitable
5
40%
less likely to
get funded
6%
Women
VCs

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Old School
New School
Career Hacks
Knowledge is power
Act like an open API
Social is for kids
Be intentional about social influence
It’s just about business
To win the hard sale, show soft side
Wing it
Homework is not a MOOC point
Transactional relationships
Lifelong relationships - breakaway play
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Hack 1:
Act like an open API
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Here’s why companies share their API’s
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7/10/1428
The Tweet that got the meeting…
Image source: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/index.htm
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Share your Expertise
Even if at 2AM!

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Mentors
Image source: guff.com
Share on GitHub
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Act like an Open API
Create a differentiated POV
Write a weekly blog
Teach
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Be an Example, Role Model, Mentor

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Hack 2:
Be intentional about your social
media influence
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China India Facebook
1 2 3 4 5
Tencent WhatsApp
USA Google+ Indonesia LinkedIn
6 7 8 9 10
Twitter
# # # # #
# # # # #
New markets are no longer limited to geographies
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7/10/1428
The Tweet that got the meeting…
Image source: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/index.htm
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Social influence checklist:
Be ACTIVE – in the right places
Be Consistent! Create a social media calendar
Know your score
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Hack 3:
To win the hard sale, show your
soft side
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70%
of jobs are found
through networking
Networking Other
Source: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2014/07/15/how-to-stay-
positive-with-your-job-search/
Your next job isn’t going to come from a resume drop
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“ ”
“ ”
“ ”
“ ” “ ”
“ ”
“ ”
“ ”
“ ”
A shoebox of quotes…
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Soft side checklist:
Drive curriculum/skills to be
Collaborative
Focus on the value – Design, UI, 3D, IOT
Show personal interest and act on it
without expecting return
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Hack 4:
Homework is not a MOOC point
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Source: IBM Smarter Workforce Institute Career Progression Survey 2014
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2014 IBM Smarter Workforce study: “Meaty Assignments”
is #1 way to rise in the ranks
Politics
7%
Personal
Attributes
17%
Other
Attributes
17%
Peer
Collaboration
17%
Meaty
Assignment;
skills
42%
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The Missing 33%
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1 1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1 1
Bakery to a Coder to Changing the World

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Homework checklist:
Skills assessment- plan for new skills
Preparation is required -- Rehearse!
Set Stretch Goals
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Hack 5:
Lifelong relationships are the
breakaway play
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Study: Advancing Women at IBM
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Offer the right opportunity
with visibility
Build your network Women need more
stretch opportunities,
growth and exposureSource: Advancing Women at IBM
2012-2013 Executive Research Study
Recommendations for increasing visibility in the workplace
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Sitting in the front row grew a lifelong relationship
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AT 16, I NEED A MENTOR AND NETWORKING
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MEDIA IS LIFELONG
MAD MEN WITH REAL WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY
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Network, network and network
Create a “career advisory team.”
Be present and engage
Relationship checklist:
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“Geek Girls are Chic”
Book Signing
Today @ 5:00 pm in the
Expo area
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33. @sandy_carter #sachack
Career Hacks
Act like an open API
Be intentional about social influence
To win the hard sale, show soft side
Homework is not a MOOC point
Lifelong relationships - breakaway play
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34. @sandy_carter #sachack
Next steps!
1. Follow me on Twitter: @Sandy_Carter
2. Subscribe to my blog:
SocialBusinessSandy.com
3. Download e-book: Geek Girls are Chic
4. Join women’s developer community:
developer.com/connect/women
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