In this blog series, women at Datto will post stories from their interviews of each other. This week, we hear from Joan Fernbach, Senior Software Engineer, and Karin Steiner, Senior User Experience Designer.
Karin and I were both non-traditional applicants to Datto; we are both somewhat older (more mature) than the average Datto employee. In addition, we both came to our current positions through a more circuitous route. For both of us, it was a great plus that Datto is open-minded about whom they hire. They will consider non-traditional applicants and are not hung up on engineers having degrees; they are more interested in your skills, capabilities and curiosity.
Karin started her career in human resources after receiving a degree in cognitive science. She transitioned into training, and then worked at an audience research company where she honed interview skills and learned multiple research techniques. After several work assignments re-ignited an old interest in visual design, Karin went back to school to study Graphic Design. Subsequent jobs were in print and then interaction design, where she developed an appreciation for the user’s experience. That, in turn, led to another round of studies in user-centered design.
I got into computer science and programming by chance. When I was trying to find a job after my husband passed away, no one would hire me for anything I wanted to do. I noticed an advertisement in the local paper for a part-time masters in computer science, and thought it sounded like fun. I had no background, and thought I was too old to go back to school. However, a mentor at Union College supported me all the way through, and I felt at home immediately.
We talked about the challenges of women both in the next generation and what we have experienced. The greatest challenge for both of us has been balancing work and family and this will continue to be a challenge for women in the next generation. If you choose to be parents, how can you have a successful career and balance it with motherhood and family? Karin noted it is a challenge to find workplaces that support parenthood, maternity leave, flexible schedules and working from home. Unless you have an incredibly supportive partner at home, it’s incredibly difficult to do.
I saw the same challenges coming out of college in the 60s as well. I worked while my husband attended medical school, and then was very fortunate to have the luxury of staying home with my children until they started school. I didn’t go back to school or start my current career until my husband had passed away and my youngest child was in school.
The motherhood/work balance is probably the most significant barrier to female leadership, as well as societal attitudes, though these appear to be less significant at a place like Datto.
The Women in Technology blog series is coordinated by Customer Experience Innovations project coordinator, Rachel Powers.