Women of color in tech: a blueprint for inspiring and mentoring the next generation of technology innovators

Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
About the Author......Page 9
Acknowledgments......Page 11
Contents at a Glance......Page 15
Contents......Page 17
Foreword......Page 25
Introduction......Page 27
 The Realities......Page 31
 What’s Going On?......Page 33
  Early Childhood......Page 34
  Primary, Middle, and High School......Page 35
  College......Page 36
  The Workplace......Page 38
  My Journey to Tech......Page 40
  It’s (Slowly) Getting Better......Page 42
  Support......Page 43
  Number of Job Opportunities......Page 44
  It’s Fun......Page 45
  We Need You!......Page 46
 Tech Career Misconceptions......Page 47
  All Tech Careers Require Studying Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Another Specific Field......Page 48
  All Tech Careers Pay a Ton of Money......Page 49
  Tech Careers Exist Only at Top Tech Companies......Page 50
  Tech Careers Are Only for People with Certain Backgrounds, Grades, Etc.......Page 51
 Creating a Blueprint......Page 55
 Summary......Page 56
Chapter 2: The Different Flavors of Tech Careers......Page 57
  What They Do......Page 59
  Educational Requirements......Page 61
 Consulting......Page 62
  What They Do......Page 63
  Top Skills Needed......Page 64
  For Additional Information......Page 65
 Computer Networking......Page 66
  Top Skills......Page 67
  For Additional Information......Page 68
 Data Science......Page 69
  Top Skills......Page 70
  For Additional Information......Page 71
  What They Do......Page 72
  Educational Requirements......Page 74
 Product Management......Page 75
  Top Skills......Page 76
 Project Management......Page 77
  What They Do......Page 78
  Educational Requirements......Page 79
 Software Development and Engineering......Page 80
  What They Do......Page 81
  Top Skills......Page 82
 Technical Sales......Page 83
  Top Skills......Page 84
 Technical Support......Page 85
  Top Skills......Page 86
 User Experience Design......Page 87
  What They Do......Page 88
  Top Skills......Page 89
 Web Design......Page 90
  Educational Requirements......Page 91
  What Are Your Strengths and Your Weaknesses?......Page 92
  What Do You Value?......Page 93
 Summary......Page 95
Chapter 3: Industry and Other Options......Page 97
 Advertising and Marketing......Page 98
 Civics and Public Interest......Page 99
 Construction and Manufacturing......Page 101
 Education......Page 103
 Finance......Page 105
 Healthcare......Page 107
 The US Government......Page 109
 On Your Own: Entrepreneurism......Page 112
  What It Takes to Be an Entrepreneur......Page 113
   Research Your Market......Page 114
   Write a (Solid) Business Plan......Page 115
   Determine Sources of Initial Funding......Page 116
  Keep Going or Stop?......Page 118
 Summary......Page 119
 What Is an Emerging Technology?......Page 121
 The Future of Work......Page 122
 Artificial Intelligence......Page 123
  The Difference Between Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning......Page 124
  Why Does It Matter?......Page 125
  Where Can I Learn More?......Page 126
 Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality......Page 127
  Why Does It Matter?......Page 128
 Blockchain......Page 129
  Why Does It Matter?......Page 131
 Cloud Computing......Page 132
  Service Models......Page 134
  Why Does It Matter?......Page 136
  Where Can I Learn More?......Page 137
 Internet of Things......Page 138
  Why Does It Matter?......Page 139
 3D Printing......Page 140
  Why Does It Matter?......Page 141
 Keeping Up with Technology Trends......Page 142
  Information Sources......Page 143
  Tools......Page 144
 Summary......Page 145
 The Importance of Building Your Network......Page 147
 Where to Network......Page 149
  Blueprints for a Beneficial Mentoring Relationship......Page 151
  You’ve Found a Mentor—Now What?......Page 154
  Listen, This Isn’t Working Out......Page 155
  You Need a Sponsor, Not a Mentor......Page 156
 Overcoming Social Anxiety......Page 157
 Strengthening Your Connections......Page 159
 Summary......Page 160
 Skills Gap Analysis: Where Do You Need to Be?......Page 161
 Formal Education (Is It Worth It?)......Page 163
 Trade Schools......Page 165
 Massive Online Open Courses......Page 167
 Boot Camps......Page 168
 Hackathons......Page 169
 Conferences and Seminars......Page 170
 Internships, Externships, and Co-ops......Page 171
 Volunteering......Page 173
 Certifications......Page 174
  Do You Need Certification?......Page 175
   Student Loans......Page 176
   Credit and Charge Cards......Page 177
  Grants and Scholarships......Page 178
  Tuition Reimbursement......Page 179
  Deferred Tuition Plans and Income Share Agreements......Page 180
  Crowdfunding......Page 181
 Summary......Page 182
 Building Your Resume(s)......Page 183
  Chronological......Page 184
  Functional......Page 185
  Combination......Page 186
  What Every Resume Must Have......Page 187
   The Body......Page 188
  What You Can Leave Out......Page 192
  First Impressions Matter......Page 195
  Additional Tips and Resources for Resume Writing......Page 196
 LinkedIn......Page 199
  The Difference between LinkedIn and Your Resume......Page 200
  Essential Elements of a LinkedIn Profile......Page 201
  Additional LinkedIn Tips......Page 204
  Online Publishing Platforms......Page 205
  Academic and Professional Journals......Page 206
 Public Speaking......Page 207
  Public Speaking Basics......Page 208
  Where to Find Speaking Opportunities......Page 210
  GitHub......Page 211
  Personal Websites......Page 212
 Building Your Interviewing Skills......Page 214
 Becoming a Better Interviewee......Page 215
 Summary......Page 217
 A Cautionary Tale (or, Don’t Do This!)......Page 219
  Compensation......Page 221
  Salary......Page 222
 The Job Offer Process......Page 223
 Evaluating a Job Offer......Page 224
  Do You Like the Job and This Company?......Page 225
  Are Your “Must Haves” Addressed?......Page 226
  Is the Salary Offered Fair?......Page 227
  There Are Few Downsides to Asking......Page 229
  You May Not Get as Much Later......Page 230
 Preparing to Negotiate......Page 231
 Negotiation Dos and Don’ts......Page 232
 Additional Resources......Page 235
 Final Thoughts—It’s Okay to Want (and Ask for) Money......Page 236
 Summary......Page 237
 The Need for Grit......Page 239
 The Problem with “Twice as Good”......Page 242
 Failure......Page 243
 Impostor Syndrome......Page 246
 Bias......Page 248
 Tokenism and Being “The Only”......Page 251
 Bullying......Page 252
 Lack of Support and Help......Page 253
 The Importance of Mental Health......Page 256
  The Need for Allyship......Page 258
  Allies Are Human......Page 259
 Summary......Page 260
  You Make a Difference......Page 263
  Helping Others See and Know What’s Possible......Page 264
  Great Rewards......Page 265
  Coping with a Bad Day......Page 267
  You’ve Been in Their Shoes......Page 268
 How to Give Back......Page 269
 Summary......Page 271
Index......Page 273
EULA......Page 290