“In a world full of algorithms and functions, the most powerful code is written between the ears.”
— Reimagined from The Social Network
If there’s one thing women in tech don’t have time for, it’s reacting to distractions. Whether it’s outdated career policies or a call for more masculine energy, the reality is crystal clear: code doesn’t care about gender, and neither should career growth.
Tech isn’t struggling because it lacks testosterone-driven solutions—it’s struggling because it still judges success with metrics as outdated as Internet Explorer, undervaluing talent that doesn’t fit the old-school Silicon Valley stereotype.
So, instead of wasting time dignifying bad takes with responses, let’s do what women in tech have always done—look ahead, lock onto the target, and hit the bullseye.
As Captain Marvel would say, “Higher, further, faster, baby.”
Fire Starters, Not Followers
“Here’s the uncomfortable truth about ambition: it’s either burning inside you, or it’s not,” opines Asiana Times featured journalist Nandhini Pandian.
Women in tech don’t need to be “pushed” into success—they’ve been quietly architecting innovation for decades, often without the same recognition, sponsorship, or fair performance evaluations as their male counterparts.
A study highlights a key difference in motivation: Women tend to be driven by intrinsic passion and purpose, while men are often more responsive to external incentives.
This explains why, despite systemic roadblocks, women in tech continue to break barriers—because their motivation comes from within, not from outdated notions of who belongs in the industry.
This very fundamental difference in motivational patterns reveals why women’s inner flame continues to burn even when the industry creates environments that might inadvertently try to douse it.
But this inner drive isn’t just powerful—it’s transformative. It’s what turns challenges into opportunities and barriers into launching pads. And it leads us to the question: What makes women such natural coders despite the industry’s reluctance to recognize it?
Code Like a Girl—Run the World
Programming isn’t rocket science—well, unless you’re actually coding rockets. Then it is.
Think about the daily problem-solving you course through in your life. That multi-tasking mental algorithm running in your head while managing deadlines, relationships, and personal goals? That’s exactly what makes you a natural coder.
Let’s break down programming languages like the versatile wardrobe essentials they are:
Python is the yoga pants of coding—flexible, comfortable, and surprisingly powerful. Just as you might grab your favorite leggings for everything from grocery runs to gym sessions, Python adapts to data analysis, web development, or automation with the same effortless versatility.
Java is that structured power suit—more formal, sure, but with it comes respect in enterprise environments. Like tailoring the perfect blazer, once you’ve structured your classes properly, you command attention.
Ruby feels like those conversations with your best friend—intuitive, expressive, and surprisingly deep. Its natural language-like syntax makes you feel like you’re having a heart-to-heart with your computer:
C++ might seem intimidating like those designer heels in your closet—challenging to master but offering unmatched performance when you need to make a statement. Just as you’d wear those stilettos to close an important deal, you’d choose C++ when performance absolutely matters.
JavaScript is like planning the ultimate girls’ night—
- HTML sets up the venue
- CSS creates the vibe with perfect lighting and décor
- JavaScript makes the magic happen—the playlist that responds to the mood, photo booth interactions, surprise elements
Remember how you organized that impossibly complex family vacation, coordinating everyone’s schedules, preferences, and needs? That’s exactly like writing an algorithm that optimizes resource allocation. You’ve been coding in real life all along.
“The code is not the hard part. The hard part is building a team that can solve problems together.” — borrowing wisdom from Hidden Figures
But having these skills isn’t enough in an industry that still struggles to see women as the innovative powerhouses they are. So how do you make sure your talents don’t go unnoticed?
Own Your Story—Don't Wait for a Push
Some of the most successful women in tech got here not because they were invited, but because they took up space anyway.
Grace Yee, Adobe’s Senior Director of Ethical Innovation, didn’t follow some predefined path—she built one. “I think technology was just a natural progression of how I think,” she said. Her curiosity led her to tech—not a formal invitation.
Action Step:
Keep track of your wins. Women are often judged on past work while men are judged on potential (McKinsey report). Flip that script faster than Taylor Swift changes costumes. Document everything. Own your impact.
Owning your story means recognizing that your path might not look like the traditional trajectory—and that’s not just okay, it’s an advantage. Your unique perspective brings solutions that others can’t see.
Be a Little Cocky—So What?
The problem isn’t that women in tech lack drive—it’s that tech lacks the right way to measure it.
The Reality: Only 52 women are promoted for every 100 men in tech leadership roles (McKinsey).
The Shift: Instead of waiting to be seen, bring the data like Olivia Pope handling a crisis.
Action Step:
Quantify your work. Did your project improve system performance by 20%? Save 50+ work hours? Increase revenue?
Make it visible. Don’t assume people notice—send that update, highlight it in meetings, and put it in performance reviews. As they say in Mad Men: “If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.”
This visibility isn’t just good for you—it creates a ripple effect for other women in tech. When you shine, you illuminate possibilities for everyone coming after you.
Find (or Be) a Sponsor, Not Just a Mentor
Women with sponsors are 77% more likely to stay in tech.
Yet only 16% of women get the mentorship they need.
Action Step:
Ask outright. Instead of “Can you mentor me?” say, “Can you put my name forward for the next big project?” Channel your inner Elle Woods: “What, like it’s hard?”
Be a sponsor too. The best way to build influence is to uplift others.
The power of sponsorship shows exactly why belonging to a supportive community matters. It’s not just about getting advice—it’s about having someone with influence actively champion your career.
Don't Fight for a Seat—Build Your Own Table
Women leave tech at a 45% higher rate than men—not because they aren’t capable, but because they don’t see a culture that values them.
Action Step:
Break the mold. Instead of forcing yourself to fit outdated career paths, create new ones.
Speak, write, and lead—get your name out there.
Own the fact that you belong here—because you do. As Shuri from Black Panther would say, “Just because something works doesn’t mean it cannot be improved.”
Building your own table means redefining what success looks like—and how it’s measured.
Measuring Progress in a Tech Career: What Really Matters?
The Problem: Women’s career growth is measured with systems as outdated as fax machines.
The Fix: Define your own metrics of success.
Action Steps:
Don’t let performance reviews define you. Create your own system for tracking impact, like Miranda Priestly creates fashion trends.
Stop measuring career growth by promotions alone. Influence, knowledge, and autonomy matter just as much.
Challenge biased feedback. If your review says “be more assertive,” ask “What specific impact are we discussing?” Channel your inner Annalise Keating: “I don’t have time for that.”
When you redefine success on your own terms, you’re free to focus on what truly matters: making an impact. That’s how you hit your target without getting distracted by noise.
Career Progression: Hitting the Bullseye Without Distractions
The Problem: Too many distractions—bias, bad feedback, outdated systems.
The Fix: Forget the noise, aim at the goal, and move like Beth Harmon focusing on the chessboard.
Final Message:
Tech isn’t a battle of energies—it’s a space where results speak louder than words. As Leslie Knope would say, “I am big enough to admit that I am often inspired by myself.”
When you’re laser-focused on your goals, the opinions of others—even high-profile CEOs—become background noise.
Igniting Future Pathways
Women’s Day isn’t about proving anything. It’s about celebrating what’s already being engineered, coded, and deployed.
“She needed a hero, so she became one.” — And wrote better code in the process.
From all of us at VDart, Happy International Women’s Day to the coders, debuggers, architects, and digital visionaries who prove every day that the most powerful feature in tech isn’t gender—it’s genius. May your algorithms be efficient, your code be clean, and your impact be undeniable.
Perhaps what tech really needs isn’t more masculine energy but a deeper appreciation for the feminine energy that’s been powering innovation all along—the collaborative problem-solving, the empathetic user design, the resilient debugging that turns challenges into breakthroughs.
Here’s to breaking glass ceilings.
Employees of the Gen Z generation look for meaning and purpose in their jobs, not simply a salary. They are drawn to businesses with a distinct mission and core beliefs that coincide with their own.