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gender gap in tech jobs?

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What do you know about a gender-based wage gap in tech jobs? I’m editorial director at techies.com, where we just crunched data from more than 100,000 members and found that, on average, women in their first 5 years in tech jobs were making virtually as much as men — but that among veteran tech workers, the wage gap widened significantly. As intriguing as the statistics are, we’re more interested in the human stories behind them; so if you can share insights on whether gender has figured in your tech-job pay, we’d love to hear. Thanks…..Patricia Edmonds, Editorial Director, techies.com

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Female Techie

In reply to gender gap in tech jobs?

Thats me a Female Techie. I have been in this industry for 7 yrs. 6.5yrs of which I was a contractor. I have had many roles from my start as Helpdesk operator, through Lan Administrator, Email specialist & Project work. However, I decided I’d had enough of contracting. Even though I had more experience than my male counterparts, they were given 5 times more respect than me. I was considered at first by each company as the token female. I had to earn respect by working twice as hard. This didnt bother me, cos I felt immense satisfaction when I proved myself. But the nature of contracting is that, as soon as Id solved the problems, or completed the project I had to move on & start all over again! This can be soul destroying Perhaps you thinkI’m being melodramatic, but people seem to base technical ability on what sex you are, how tall you are & whether you are attractive. As a petite woman peoples first impression is that Im just for decoration.
This is reflected in the permanent salaries I have been offered. If we look at this objectively you yourselves will make the same assumptions. Even though I have proved capable of technical roles I seem unable to be givin the opportunity to progress my career unless I start back at the bottom & work my way up through a company, again Im having to prove myself. At 31 yrs old with years of IT experience behind me, I find this incredibly frustrating and disheartening.
I will leave you with this quote from one of my previous employers.” you’ve shocked me, I never considered attractive women any use at all in IT, normally if they’re good they’re fat & ugly”
obviously this idiot thought this was a compliment! Sad, but the kind of people Ive had to put up with.

perspective

In reply to Female Techie

you spent most of you time moving on right at the time when you would have been respected and recieve compensation. Then you generalize your experiances and apply them broadly just like the one employer you quote.

Respect is earned, and everyonewho has been without it feels treated unfairly. Working you way up is hard but honest work. More and more people want to jump right to the top whether that by in pay or respect.

Don’t get me wrong I am not saying you are wrong, just pointing out other people go through similar experiances.

Earned respect

In reply to perspective

I agree I did move on right at the time when I could have received compensation. Unfortunately, the contracts ended as they have a tendancy of doing when projects finish etc. I am not really complaining about the contracts ending because that is thenature of the beast.
My greivance, if you can call it that, cos I have been dealing with it for years, is the difference in attitude towards salary & respect. Yes I had to earn respect, that never bothered me cos I can prove myself capable.
I may have quoted 1 employer, but in my experience most of my other employers treated me in much the same manner. Believe me I am not generalising, merely describing my experience.
I have had some wonderful employers who have treated me with respect, yet still paid male counterparts in the same job more money.
I did not wish to give the impression that I am having a moan about how badly Ive been treated. It was my intention to point out the differences in attitude & pay when it comes to women.
Right, I’ll climb down from my soap box now.
Cheers.

Oh, yeah gender gaps exist

In reply to gender gap in tech jobs?

I have been in IT for over 20 years. I have had to struggle to get my salary up to that which a man makes. I accidently found out in one of my previous jobs that I was making thousands less that a comparable male in my department and I was toldin a whisper that, ‘it is standard procedure to pay women less unless they complain about it.’ Since the company had a policy of not discussing salaries, most women did not know any better. Since my work was proven to be as good or better than most males in the group, I complained and said I’d leave if I did not get a raise. Funny, within weeks and mid-year, I got a 28% meritorious raise.
Now days, with surveys showing salaries on the internet, it is easier for a woman to see if her salary is within range, but it is still hard to get the salary raised at times. And unfortunately, some women will not fight for themselves for fear of loosing their jobs.

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