Women in STEM

I graduated about two years ago in IT with my bachelors. Since then, I have been pushed out of a job because management was horrific and didn't show up or respond and when I did, I was retaliated … more

I’m currently finishing my PhD while raising a toddler, and I feel like I’m failing at both about 90% of the time. My male advisor keeps talking about grind culture and staying in the lab until midnig… more

I have plenty of mentors who give me great advice, but I realized today that I don’t have a single sponsor. Like someone who actually uses their power to get me in the room. It feels like men in my de… more

I just got my first lead role, and instead of celebrating, I’ve spent the last 48 hours convinced they sent the offer letter to the wrong person. I keep waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder a… more

I was halfway through explaining my data analysis this morning when a junior engineer literally cut me off to explain my own slide back to me. I was so stunned I just let him finish, but now I’m kicki… more

I had a huge presentation today with some visiting execs and decided to wear actual heels for once instead of my beat-up sneakers. Of course, that was the day a sample leaked, and I had to navigate a … more

I’m turning 40 this year and I’m starting to feel invisible in a way I didn't expect. All the recruiters reaching out to me are looking for young, hungry devs who can disrupt things, which usually… more

I got promoted to Lead recently, but my actual day-to-day has just become 8 hours of meetings and unblocking others. I feel like I’ve become a highly-paid secretary who knows Python. I’m worried that … more

I’m headed to a big conference next month and I’m already dreading the after-parties. It’s always a sea of guys getting drunk, and as a solo woman, it feels either predatory or just plain awkward. I w… more

My performance reviews are always like… you’re doing great, everyone loves you! with zero actionable technical feedback. Meanwhile, my male peers get specific critiques on their system design and arch… more

My current startup celebrates sleeping under the desk as a badge of honor, and I’m just... over it. I can get my work done in 40 hours, but I feel judged for not being online at midnight. It feels lik… more

How do you shut down diversity hire comments without losing your cool? Someone in the office kitchen today made a joke about how the only reason I got the lead =role was because the company needed to … more

I’m seriously considering quitting my corporate job to go full-time freelance/consulting. I’m tired of the politics, the biased reviews, and the endless lean in seminars that don't actually change… more

I haven’t spoken to another woman at work in over a week. My entire department is men, my manager is a man, and even my Slack DMs are 100% dudes. Does the isolation ever get easier, or do you just get… more

Our CTO is pushing everyone to use Copilot for everything, and honestly, I’m conflicted. I feel like it’s great for boilerplate, but I’m seeing the junior devs stop learning how things actually work u… more

Has anyone else noticed their referrals getting suspiciously overlooked compared to the guys'? I’ve referred three highly qualified women to our open roles in the last six months, and not one of t… more

Is it actually possible to be a high-performing engineer and a present parent? I’m returning from maternity leave next month and the brain fog is real. I used to be the person who stayed late to squas… more

My company is hiring for a new DevOps lead, and the hiring manager keep saying a candidate isn't a culture fit because she doesn't play video games or vibe with the Friday beer rounds. It feel… more

I’ve been an IC for ten years and I’m finally being offered a manager role, but I’m hesitant. I love building things, and I’m worried that moving into people leadership is just leaning into the stereo… more

I feel like there's no winning with how we dress. If I wear a blazer, I’m trying too hard, but if I wear a hoodie, I’m unprofessional or look like an intern. The guys just wear the same gray shirt… more

I found out today that a male peer with the exact same title and two years less experience is making $15k more than me. I’m vibrating with a mix of rage and disappointment, especially since my manager… more

PM roles now expect technical depth, analytics, and strategy all in one. It feels like multiple roles merged into one title. I’m unsure how to stay competitive without spreading too thin. How are PMs … more

Hi , Can someone please let me know if Cognizant provides maternity topup in Canada? If yes, is there a specific probation period to be eligible for the topup?

How do you deal with the weird dynamics of networking as a woman? When I go to conferences, I’m either totally invisible or weirdly hyper-visible. I’ve had people ask who I “support” because they assu… more

My male coworker talks over me constantly in meetings—and then, five minutes later, he repeats my ideas word-for-word like they’re his. I started calling it out directly, and suddenly I’m getting feed… more

A recruiter once asked me if I’d be “okay working on a mostly male team.” Sir, I’ve never not worked on a mostly male team. It was such a ridiculous question I almost laughed out loud. But honestly? I… more

My professor once told me, “You don’t need to be the best, you just need to be the last woman standing.” At the time, I rolled my eyes and thought it was a cop-out. But after a decade of watching bril… more

Why is every panel about women in STEM just… about being women in STEM? Like, I get it, representation matters, but can we please talk about our work, our research, our code? I want to be celebrated f… more

Have you figured out how to set boundaries without seeming “cold”? I’m the only woman in my lab, and suddenly I’m expected to be the group’s social planner, mentor, and emotional support human on top … more

I once had a recruiter ask if I’d be “okay working on a mostly male team.” Sir, I’ve never not worked on a mostly male team. It’s honestly just exhausting at this point. Do you think things are actual… more

My professor once told me, “You don’t need to be the best, you just need to be the last woman standing.” At the time I was offended, but now I kind of get it, persistence really is half the game in th… more

When I tell people I’m an engineer, they still assume I mean “software engineer”—and even then they look surprised. I work in civil, and you should see the reaction when I say I’m on site in steel-toe… more

Where are you all shopping for office clothes these days? Everything on Amazon is just so blah and generic. I'm in my 30s and want something more stylish. Wouldn't even mind spending good mone… more

Can a manager be removed from their role if a direct report files a valid complaint against them with HR?

I am an Engineer in the oil and gas industry and would love to find a remote position. What type of positions should I look up? Seems like the only thing available is for IT/software related engineer… more

Why is it always assumed that a woman is supposed to sacrifice her identity when she marries? My fiancé works in finance and has a great career. I'm proud of him. However, I have a PhD. and have w… more