Nedhi Panse, IT Tech Veteran Thought Leader
Nedhi, a technology leader at GyanSys, has over 19 years of IT and business experience as well as a strong reputation for building innovation and driving change through technology.
In this interview she shares what it is like to be a woman working in the IT industry.
Read her inspiring interview below.
I think it was more of an intuitive choice for me. Even before high school, I simply came to realize that I was more comfortable with pure sciences. Science and math were always my favorite subjects. During high school, I realized how broadly applicable scientific foundations are to real life, and then I made STEM my main point of interest. As an undergrad, I majored in computer science. In graduate school, I completed a master’s in business administration (MBA), specializing in marketing and finance. A tech related career path was a natural choice for me.
Our world faces a wide array of challenges, and we need sophisticated tools to understand them and craft workable solutions. Science, technology, engineering, and the math fields are at the forefront in crafting tools and creating innovative solutions to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.
Diversity is necessary and needed; this includes the inclusion of women. Lack of equality stalls progression. When different voices, viewpoints, expertise, and life experiences are brought together, we naturally become more effective problem solvers.
Having women involved as innovators, decision makers, and community actors will lead to developing better solutions for the ever-changing challenges we face. There should be more women in executive positions so that the perspectives of women are sufficiently represented in decision making.
Inclusion of more women can result in diversity of thought, leading to a boost in performance at the business unit level.
The industry has certainly changed since the start of my career almost 19 years ago. I've seen an increase in the number of women employees, but this shift is just the beginning, and there's always room for growth.
Great question! The advice that I would share with myself just starting out would be to embrace change and ambiguity and always be open to new possibilities. My advice would be to not be scared, especially of the lack of representation of women in the industry. Just go for it.
If you have an interest in technology, keep learning and increasing your knowledge base and skillset. If you put your mind to it, nothing can stop you from succeeding.
Organizations have been putting in great amounts of effort to help women get involved in the tech industry. I have seen improvements in these efforts from when I began my career, but I feel like there is still room for growth.
Having more women in management roles can and will create a safe place for other women to flourish.
Hiring managers, HR teams, and CEO's should be trained to recognize that diversity adds so much to a company's culture and output.
I think GyanSys is a very caring company. Gyansys presents opportunities without a gender bias. They value individual competency. In my opinion, GyanSys is truly an equal opportunity employer. In my work I am at the forefront of cutting edge technologies.
The projects which have been entrusted to me have been both challenging and rewarding personally as well as for my career development.
I have eight points that have been very helpful to me. The advice I would pass on to other women to aid progress in the tech industry are as follows.
First, find a mentor. While we still have a long way to go, female leaders and women in tech have come a long way and I think that women supporting each other has been key to this. I strongly advise women to seek a mentor to learn from, to freely ask questions of and gain guidance from.
There are many great mentor programs out there to help you find the right person to support you. Learn from their experiences and let them help in bolstering your confidence, knowledge and career progression. Recognize that career advancement happens through professional and personal ties that are developed within a network both inside and outside the workplace.
Second, keep learning and lean into a tech industry that is constantly and rapidly evolving. Stay up to date with the latest technology advancements in our industry. This will really help your confidence in speaking about various topics in conversation.
Third, do not be afraid to take more risks and responsibility for your success and do not hold yourself back.
Fourth, listen and ask questions. Learn from people’s knowledge and experience but be conscious of the fact that not everything should be taken as an absolute truth. You will be better off asking questions and knowing more than a person who didn’t. So don’t be afraid to ask.
Fifth, be prepared. Preparation and practice builds your confidence. Lack of confidence can be a great challenge in a male dominated industry. Go to meetings fully prepared and don’t be afraid to stand firm in your opinions and make your voice heard. I know this is tough at first, but it will get easier with practice.
Sixth, learn to negotiate. Women are paid in on average 61% less than men. Learn to speak confidently to earn what you deserve. Do your research so that you know industry salary benchmarks and have a clear view of your expectations. This will enable you to go into a salary or career discussion with a strong business case built on facts.
Seventh, speak up when you do well and are proud of the successes you have achieved. Let it be known. Be proud of yourself and share your wins as it is important in a male dominated industry. Celebrate the successes of women.
You never know who needs to hear it and you yourself can become a role model to inspire others.
Finally, to those women who are leaders in the industry, become a mentor. If you are a tech leader, recommend other women for stretch assignments or high visibility opportunities. Give deserving women a public shout out or a signal boost or an endorsement. This raises their credibility and in turn, their confidence. Go out there and rock it. I believe women empowerment.
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