As stated at the beginning of the chapter, this research is a preliminary exploration of some of the issues related to the retention of women in IT. To allow us to conduct qualitative, open-ended interviews, the sample size was deliberately small. Future research must confirm whether or not some of the issues that these women discussed are also applicable to women in larger samples.
This research focuses on women in IT careers. Interviewing men about their experiences may provide more insight. Much research has been done that confirms the IT work environment is not very supportive of women. Interviewing men about their experiences, particularly at entry level jobs, may show that they do not find the work environment particularly friendly either, even if they find it easier than women to fit in.
The sample ofwomen in IT for this research was from Southern California. A broader sample might inform discussions about regional differences.
The sample of industries and types of IT work represented by the women who participated in the study is very broad. In future studies, the examination of issues of gender and technology might be more easily described if industry or type of IT work were narrowly defined.
CONCLUSION
Support structures help women aspire to and maintain a technology career. Further, the right support can assist women in finding a career that is rewarding and offers opportunities for advancement.
The women interviewed in this study were highly satisfied with their careers and remarkably resilient when talking about difficulties they faced on the job. The more experienced felt that earlier obstacles and failures prepared them for later success. They were confident that if they were fired or decided to leave, they would find work somewhere else. Overall, they found the IT profession difficult to transition into, because they did not ‘know the dance steps.’ Once they figured them out, they had satisfying careers.
This study uses a grounded theory approach to develop themes for women’s success in the IT field. Differences between industries and how women approached their careers started to emerge. For example, Big 4 consulting firms, not known for having many women in long-term careers, can be a great training ground for women early their careers. Interestingly, the Big 4 firms now realize that when they lose women, they lose expertise and dedication. They therefore have begun offering women part-time opportunities when they begin their families. However, one woman noted that part-time at her Big 4 firm was 40 hours per week.
For women seeking more supportive work environments, IT audit as a profession and, healthcare as an industry stood out as being better than other industries. More work is needed to develop greater insight into issues of work, culture and equity.
This research has several practical implications for women entering IT careers. The job they find might not ‘fit’ their expectations and needs. However, women do find ways to adjust to male — dominated environments and enjoy lucrative and rewarding careers. Entry-level women may also benefit from informal mentors and professional advocates who may assist in creating opportunities for them. Contrarily, if no advocate or informal mentorship is possible, women should consider transferring into an area that is more supportive.
Organizational implications ofthis study affirm findings of other research such as that by Faulkner (2007): IT organizations and IT occupational cultures are not women-friendly. Creating a program for women, while helpful, does not address the underlying problem, but rather serves simply as a surface or band-aid solution. Women may be reluctant to take advantage of programs that give co-workers the perception that they need special favors to be successful in the world of IT. In this regard, IT organizations have a long way to go in making the cultural changes necessary to be open to everyone.