Imposter syndrome, self-promotion, and more: Tips for women in tech

Women make up less than a third of the world’s workforce in technology-related fields. That number may feel stark—but don’t let it discourage you from entering the industry or growing your existing career. 

There are always women in technology willing to share their advice, and we had the opportunity to speak with 4 of them:

• Angel Jordan, VP, Infosec Training and Awareness Leader at Synchrony

• Lorena León, Talent Development Manager at Keyfactor

• Losalind Connell, IT Talent Strategy at Sallie Mae

• Cheryl Minella, Vice President of Communications, Brand, and Social Impact at Pluralsight

These leaders explain how to build visibility, grow your influence, and make confident decisions as a woman or non-binary professional in tech spaces.

Watch the on-demand webinar now.

It's not necessarily hard to be a woman in tech, but it comes with some unique challenges. For one thing, you may feel pressure to prove your technical skills to others.

We want to make it clear: You don’t need to prove anything to anyone except yourself.

That being said, continuing to learn and build new skills can boost your confidence, reduce feelings of imposter syndrome, and set you up for future career moves.

Working in security awareness, Angel has definitely felt the pressure to upskill. She handles it by earning certifications. 

“I collect them like infinity stones at this point,” she says. “That’s how I make sure that I address imposter syndrome. I also make sure that I stay ahead of trends. Learning is continuous. As long as I continue to learn, I will always be able to grow, and I will always be able to provide thought leadership to my function.”

Not everyone needs robust tech skills or professional certifications. In some cases, learning the basics is more than enough to collaborate with other teams.

“I'm not a coder, and I don't need to be, but when I walk into [technical] meetings, usually I need to understand how to talk intelligently about what they do day-to-day,” says Losalind.

“Before heading into technical rooms, I do a little bit of research. If I'm going to be talking about AWS, I do some surface knowledge research. If I'm talking about certain languages or AI, I want to understand them at a high level. 

“When I go into that room, I set the tone and say, ‘Hey, here's my understanding of what I've researched. How does that apply in your team, in your environment?’”

This creates a collaborative conversation and allows everyone to bring their unique skills to the table to complete a task.

Imposter syndrome is something we all deal with, whether we’re a seasoned leader, an expert professional, or an entry-level individual contributor.

When imposter syndrome shows up, Losalind pulls out her past performance reviews for a confidence boost from former supervisors.

“Being able to see that growth reflected over those 10 years of performance reviews and recognition tells me, ‘I have put so much work in here, and it shows in the work that I do today, and how I got here,’” says Losalind. 

“If that's something you haven't done today, I would say start documenting your wins. It could be really small, but they will compound over time. Pick those dragon-slaying stories, if you will. It doesn't have to be a big dragon, it could be a little dragon. But those are the moments that you go back to remind yourself, 'Hey, I did that. I did that, and it showed up in a meaningful way.’”

Self-promotion is important, but it doesn’t always come naturally. If you’re struggling to make your work more visible, think about the bigger picture. 

“When you understand how your work impacts the organization, even small tasks, it becomes much easier to communicate it. For example, you might be improving part of the invoicing process. It might sound small, but if it supports sales efficiency, that's real business impact, right?” says Lorena.

“When you frame your work in terms of outcomes rather than a personal achievement, it doesn't feel like self-promotion, per se. It feels more like a clear way of explaining the value you bring.”

Self-promotion is a skill like any other, and it gets easier over time. Celebrating other people’s accomplishments can also help you practice. 

“It isn't about bragging, it's about framing it in the success of the organization and the impact that's been made,” says Cheryl. “I also love getting the community gathered behind you and celebrating other people's achievements. I think that's wonderful.”

Only 25% of C-level leaders are women, and even fewer (just 5%) represent racial minorities. As much as this needs to change, you don’t need to wait for a specific title to step up and become a leader in your organization.

“You can lead a project, a conversation, a family vacation plan, or a department. It doesn't really matter. At its core, leadership is about stepping up, showing up, and taking responsibility for outcomes,” says Lorena. 

“I started seeing myself as a leader when I stopped focusing on what's next and started focusing more on what problems I can solve or what skills I can build.”

Whether you’re just entering the workforce or looking to achieve your next career milestone, you may feel pressure to get there as fast as you can. But it’s okay to slow down and take things at your own pace. You never know what opportunities might come your way.

Says Lorena, “Sometimes growth means pausing, learning, adapting, and being flexible.”

For more advice on overcoming career challenges, dealing with imposter syndrome, and learning new skills, check out the full webinar with Angel, Lorena, Losalind, and Cheryl. 

Looking for more insights from women in tech? Explore these articles:

• Leadership advice for women in tech: Managing imposter syndrome

• Standing out: Tips for non-binary professionals and women in tech careers

• Women in tech share tips to break into the industry