Career Opportunities Masters Level Maria Hristova, Microsoft Rebecca Schultz, Google

Agenda Introductions: Microsoft and Google What is the one thing you want to know at the end of this session? Managing the transition from student to intern or full-time employee Key skills for women in technology Career opportunities

Maria Hristova Background/Bio Originally from Bulgaria Always passionate about technology and role models Undergraduate degree from Bryn Mawr College, class of 2002 Double major in CS and Math Passionate baker, casual gamer, documentary super fan

Maria Hristova Career Path Before MS my only experience was academic research and teaching Started at Microsoft in August, 2002 as: –STE at Windows SharePoint Services –SDET at Windows SharePoint Services –SDET Lead at Exchange Hosted Services Products impacted: –Office 2003 –Windows Vista –Exchange Hosted Services

Rebecca Schultz Background/Bio BS, Computer Engineering from Brown University, 2002 MS, Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, 2004 Spent one year at Stanford researching supercomputer architectures Joined Google in September, 2005 In my free time? Rock climbing, studying aikido

Rebecca Schultz Career Path Performance Engineer in Google’s Platforms Group 5 internships –Lucent –Microsoft (twice) –Network Appliance –NVIDIA

Crucial Competencies: Transition from Student to Employee Technical accuracy –strive for accurate, detailed work Develop a broad perspective –think of the work you are doing in relationship to what others are doing –think of how your work will achieve the broader goals of the organization Discipline –exercise restraint and make informed choices about what you are willing to participate in, own, or drive to completion –strive to meet deadlines (under-promise and over-deliver) –see your responsibility through the end Demonstrate initiative –ask questions and communicate frequently with your manager –be creative and share your passion with others through action Hone your communication skills –especially as they relate to the expectations of your manager –develop the ability to give an ‘elevator pitch’ at any time

What can I do in industry? Development Engineer Software Developer in Test Test Engineer Program Manager User Interface Designer Product Manager Lead and/or Manager of any discipline Researcher (PhD required)

Finding Industry Jobs Identify organizations of interest and do internships – real world and specific organization experience is valued Know what positions are within your scope and focus on the right type of position for you Plug into on-campus recruiting at your school Apply through formal methods, but try to make contact with people who will get your resume into the right hands Conferences, conferences, conferences – employers attend conferences specifically to find you Network with friends, colleagues, and friends of friends to make contacts and get a foot in the door Consider startup organizations – higher risk, but greater potential for increasing the scope of your responsibilities Demonstrate good communication skills in addition to technical savvy Ask for what you want!

Preparing for an Interview Read up –Research the organization to understand their business and see if their goals are in line with yours Use that social network! –Talk to women who are currently working for the organization Know thyself –Self-assess to determine what you ‘must have’ to be satisfied in a new role Practice makes perfect –Role play with colleagues to strengthen your interviewing skills and identify areas for development

The Interview Demonstrate your passion for technology! Remember: it’s about how you approach a problem, rather than having the right answer Inquire about the number of women on the team, in the organization, and at the management level Ask purposeful questions: –Evaluate the organization as much as they are evaluating you – can you see yourself working there? –Get all the information you need to make a decision if you get an offer –Probe any areas of ambiguity or confusion

What can I do now? Find a mentor –Provides a useful perspective Complete a project –Will make you a more interesting candidate Get an internship –Try out a corporate culture, job type, industry

Find a Mentor Old Rule Mentors and protégés should have a lot in common New Rule The best matches are mismatches, pair with someone who will challenge you Ask about mentoring programs within your organization – everyone needs mentors throughout the life of their career, not just at the beginning

Complete a Project Publications, Posters, Projects Create a track record Interviewers will look for completed projects Research a topic and write a white paper or create a poster for an upcoming conference Create a website listing your projects, publications, and CV/resume – recruiters use search engines

Get an Internship Use university recruiting contacts, job fairs, advisors, or professors Start looking early—most positions are filled by December Think about filling every summer—some companies will take sophomores Take a summer or campus job doing related at a local company Rewards: You get to try out the corporate culture, find potential mentors, and see if the industry is right for you.

Key Skills - Build a Social Network Develop networks outside your immediate workgroup (cross-group collaboration) Create relationships with people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise (broad perspective) Learn how to engage others to build connections and identify similar interests Join professional organizations and attend conferences

Key Skills - Learn to Negotiate Women at all levels have been shown to receive lower salaries than their male counterparts Perceived differences in skill level between men and women do not always translate into actual disparities of abilities –women's self-assessed skill is significantly lower than that of men Do research, be flexible, be pleasant, aim high, and know how to handle multiple offers with ease Career satisfaction isn't just about pay – consider what is important to you and ask for it

Key Skills - Manage Your Manager Success is significantly determined by one’s immediate supervisor –define clear goals and set expectations of performance –document your joint understanding of goals/metrics –meet regularly and assess progress or priority of projects –adapt your behavior or communication to meet your manager’s expectations

Key Skills -Make Yourself Visible Especially challenging for entry level women Gain influence even without formal authority

Recommended Reading Social Networks –Uzzi, Brian, and Dunlap, Shannon. “How to Build Your Network.” Harvard Business Review, December 2005 Issue Mentors and Mentoring –Fast Company looks at mentoring trends in high tech companies: –Shea, Gordon F Making the Most of Being Mentored: How to Grow from a Mentoring Relationship. Crisp Publications –Wellington, Sheila, and Spence, Betty Be Your Own Mentor: Strategies from Top Women on the Secrets of Success. Random House –“Mentoring In a Box: Technical Women at Work”, jointly produced by the Anita Borg Institute and the National Center for Women and Technology, available at:

Recommended Reading (cont’d) Making yourself Visible –Cohen, Allen and Bradford, David (1991). Influence without Authority. New York, Wiley. Negotiating –Differences in Actual and Perceived Online Skills: The Role of Gender Wall Street Journal article on the topic: -asher.html Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, asher.html –Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide. Princeton University Press. Bazerman, Max H. and Neale, Margaret A –Negotiating Rationally. New York: The Free Press.

Career Opportunities Thank you for attending!