WOMEN WHO CODE CONFERENCE
Written by Melissa Baron
Original post published here.
This past weekend I attended my first tech conference, and I had so much fun. I want to say that for the majority of the time I was just in awe of everything, I went by myself and I still has a great time, I was a very inclusive environment and I ended up meeting a bunch of cool people. One thing that I realized is that everyone was so open to give advice and help others. Honestly just being at the Twitter HQ made me happy and being surrounded by so many great women who are changing the status quo of the tech industry was amazing. The speakers shared their struggles, triumphs, and success letting the audiences know that with hard work and dedication you can be anything you want. It's crazy the amount of influence the tech industry is having on the world; I remember one of the speakers saying that every industry is turning into a tech industry and that is so true technology plays such a vital role in our day to day life. This was my first but definitely not my last tech conference!
Though I am more interested in the business side of tech, I still think it's important to know how to code a little. This was such a fun experience, and even if you have the smallest interest in that industry I highly recommend checking it out, you might be surprised and like it…. a lot!
I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT STUCK WITH ME AFTER THE CONFERENCE:
-Let yourself be impatient with being a strong leader so we won't have to wait 100 years for change (she was referring to minorities in the workplace)
-Don't settle for easy successes
-You don't have to always accept the common wisdom
-Figure out what makes you uniquely you
-You are not born with skills they are acquired (if someone can do something you can do it too, but you have to be willing to learn)
– A study shows that if a women talks for 25% of the conversation she is seen as dominant/arrogant so for the girls be bold, be brilliant and be gone ( She also said to keep that acronym in mind ABC=Always be correct) before you say stuff have the proper information to back it up
-Emotions ≠ Weakness (caring is important)
-Highlight your values and makes you uniquely you
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A FEW OF THE SPEAKERS
-The Greatest Salesman In The World by Og Mandino
-The Secret Thoughts Of Successful Women by Valerie Young
-Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
-The Speed Of Trust:The one Thing That Changes Everything by Stephan M.R. Covey
-Dare by Becky Blacock