Today is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme, “BoostHer Tech”, aims to provide a space for our female boosters where they can raise their voices and inspire more women to join us in the field, creating a new generation of women that take action towards gender parity.

Before achieving a successful career in tech, many women have to face challenges regarding underpayment, underrepresentation, and discrimination in a field currently dominated by men. This leads to many women feeling discouraged and insecure about working in the tech world.

Compared to their male co-workers, women are 22% more likely to report experiencing "imposter syndrome" in tech and STEM professions.

We asked our female boosters: “After what you have experienced in Tech, What would you want to tell your younger self to BoostHer confidence in pursuing a career in Tech?”

We had a very heartfelt response from many of them who wanted to advise their past version of themselves when they felt discouraged and insecure about pursuing a career in tech. We hope their words inspire and empower women to pursue their dreams in tech despite the challenges they may face:

Evelyn Cruz, Product Owner:

“Eve, the tech world is ever-evolving, and learning and unlearning are skills that need to be nurtured. You can learn something a certain way but within a week, you can find out that there are different and simpler ways to do what you just learned. Don’t let this bother you and shake it off fast.

If you make a mistake, it is okay to get upset for a little while, as it's not going to be the first nor the last mistake you'll ever make. You are an evolving system that is in constant improvement. If not, take a look at Artificial Intelligence which is a replica of how the human brain works, it's amazing!

Laughter must become an essential part of your everyday life to lessen the stress burden and light up the mood with your teammates, who will later become your friends, partners, and work colleagues that work towards a mutual goal: Bringing somebody the solutions that it has been looking to solve its needs”.

Estefani Ruiz, UX/UI designer:

“I know you’re unsure about a lot of things, about how you’ll navigate the tech world, about how your designs will be applied, about what the best practices are, etc. But keep being curious, keep exploring and never stop learning. There's always something new to discover, even when you feel like an expert. Treasure your curiosity and keep testing what you find. Spoiler alert: you'll get there!

Some days will be great, some days will be harder and it won’t make sense, but always remember your why, and never forget your essence. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion because it's a rough world out there. It’s important to express your ideas because they are valuable, your voice is valuable, even if it shakes. Always fight for what's right, even though sometimes you won't be right.

Making mistakes is okay. It's part of the process. You will fall, and it'll hurt, but keep rising like you always do. Listen to the constructive feedback others will tell you, and you will thrive. Don't take things personally. Sometimes it'll be necessary for you to stop and reflect, take time to rest and recover to come back even stronger.

You will want to walk up the ladder quickly because you know you’re capable of great things, and you are, just be patient, you’re just starting the ride. We are capable of a lot of things and much more than what you imagine, always remember your essence, embrace the changes life will throw at you, keep learning, keep exploring, and have fun in the process!”

Maylena Argueta, Client Relationship Specialist:

“Dear younger self, learn to properly organize and prioritize your everyday tasks, this will keep you less stressed and it will clear some time off your schedule to learn and get more involved with digital tools. As you are in the tech world, you need to familiarize yourself with the constantly evolving environment and know it very well.

Keep in mind you will have to face difficult challenges and obstacles along the way, but they will serve as invaluable experiences for your future as a professional. Above all, believe in yourself. Never doubt your knowledge, and don’t let anyone else overshadow it and tell you otherwise.

Take those unconquerable challenges with confidence. Everything can be overcome with perseverance, patience, dedication, and resilience. Don’t get stuck in the failure phase, instead, learn from those mistakes. Look back just to see them from a different perspective, another experience that made you stronger and serve your career and also, personal life”

Bellatrix Mijares, QA Analyst:

“Without a doubt, I would tell my younger self to trust in her own process, to learn from every mistake made, no matter how small and insignificant it may be, because tomorrow will come, and every mistake made is a lesson that will lead her future self to succeed in this world.

I believe that being stubborn is not always a bad thing. In fact, it can be a great asset in the tech world. I would tell my younger self to accept my stubbornness and use it as a driving force to constantly evolve and learn new tools. The world of technology is highly competitive, and being able to stand out requires a strong desire for self-improvement. Embrace your stubbornness and turn it into an unquenchable need to succeed. With this attitude, you will be able to overcome any obstacle in your path and achieve great things in your career”.

The reason why there are fewer women in tech-related occupations than men is not due to a lack of interest or ability, but rather due to an unsupportive culture and a tendency to undervalue their capabilities.

At Elaniin, we want to recognize and honor the amazing results our female boosters do every day to provide innovative and valuable solutions for our clients. We want to create a safe platform where they can transparently share their experiences to inspire more women to pursue a career in tech, and supply this field with a much-needed, different outlook on problems that require their unique perspective.