Getting deliberate about recruiting women for IT management

It's a fact. Women as a percentage of the IT workforce are dramatically underrepresented. Groups that are concerned about the low numbers of women in IT advocate for deliberate action. Kristen Lamoreaux responded by founding SIM Women, and this fall, a group of undergraduate IS majors are starting a new student organization called Women in IT (WIT).

Kristen Lamoreaux, founder of the IT recruitment firm Lamoreaux Search LLC, says that when she joined the New Jersey chapter of the Society for Information Management (SIM) seven years ago, she discovered there were just three women active in a membership of 150. Later, while attending a CIO conference, she found herself in a ladies room chat, and the women were commenting on how few women were in attendance. Back at her seat, Lamoreaux counted 22 out of 350 — including vendors. It's a fact. Women as a percentage of the IT workforce are dramatically underrepresented. The National Center for Women and Technology (NCWIT) estimates that women hold about 25 percent of all IT jobs, even though women comprise 56 percent of working professionals. According to an NCWIT report entitled "Women in IT: The Facts," the number of women in IT professions peaked in 1991 at 36 percent and has declined steadily since. The center also reports that the number of computing and information sciences degrees awarded to women fell by 50 percent from 1985 to 2009, when only 18 percent of undergraduate degrees went to women. The W. P. Carey Department of Information Systems has also been tracking the trend. Between 2004 and 2009, women as a percentage of IS majors has ranged from 15-23 percent; last year 19 percent were female. With the projected boom in IT job opportunities, women are not the only losers. Industry needs diverse talent. Groups that are concerned about the declining numbers of women in IT advocate for deliberate action. Lamoreaux responded by founding SIM Women — a network that promotes communication, mentoring and career development among the female members of SIM. And, this fall, a group of undergraduate IS majors are starting a new student organization called Women in IT (WIT). A winding trail Clinical associate professor Sule Balkan, left, is the faculty advisor for WIT. Her Ph.D. is in economics, and she spent 10 years at American Express as an economist, gradually assuming IT responsibilities as well. Ultimately she rose to director of information management at Ameriprise Financial in Phoenix. "My career led me to information systems, and I really loved it because I could see how businesses were transformed by IT," Balkan said. Lamoreaux' story is similar. An English major in college, she started learning about the central role IT plays in business while working summers. Lamoreaux had the unusual responsibility of hiring two employees while she was working that college job, and has since made a successful career of executive placement. She now runs her own company, Lamoreaux Search LLC, and she specializes in information technology recruitment. The indirect path taken by these two women is not that unusual, and it demonstrates the ubiquity of IT across professions. Lamoreax thinks that very ubiquity may be skewing the numbers. A marketing manager, for example, is likely to be working with databases and analytics every day, but would not identify herself as an IT specialist. Whatever the dynamics, however, the two women agree that too few girls know enough about IT to know whether they would be interested, and those who do decide to enter the field need help learning how to succeed. The university perspective Balkan was a catalyst for forming WIT, recruiting the young women who form the core of the fledgling organization. WIT, like DISC and other student clubs, will be student-run, but Balkan has some ideas about what the group might accomplish as it grows. Number one, Balkan hopes the group can increase enrollment in IS by educating other students about the major. The initial focus will be other business students. One of the messages will be that it is possible to add CIS to another major, and eventually she hopes the group will find a way to reach down in to high schools. Second, she hopes the group will start forming a network that will help women find that first job and move up the ladder. "One goal is to work with industry: how can we make sure these women are connected so that the employment rate goes up? The other goal is downwards: how can we be sure we reach K-12 with news that this is a great career with super opportunities, so that our enrollment rate goes up," Balkan said. "We are situated perfectly right in the middle between K-12 and careers; we can do the full circle." Saswati Soumya, right, was elected president of WIT during the first week of classes. As a first-year student she started in the engineering college, as a computer science student. "I decided that pure technology was not for me, but I had no idea this information systems major even existed," she said, underscoring the need to spread the word about the major. The core members are now shaping an agenda for the new group. The club manned a booth at the business school student club fair, called I-Week (Information Week), and Saswati said they will be recruiting in CIS classes in coming weeks. The women have met with DISC (the well-established Department of Information Systems Club) for tips on getting organized and funded. They are also looking for female IT professionals who would be willing to speak. In addition, Saswati wants WIT to have a social aspect, to be a place where young women can get to know others with similar career aspirations. Balkan adds that the membership is not closed to men. Although the goal is to foster opportunities for women in IT, she thinks male students might also be interested in addressing the issue. SIM Women Once women decide to go for an information technology career, the challenges continue. NCWIT reports that 56 percent of women in corporate technology leave their jobs mid-way through their careers. Half of them will continue on in technology — in government, at a non-profit or at a competitor firm. But at the very top, NCWIT adds, only 11 percent of the CIOs at Fortune 500 tech companies are women. Clearly, there's something going on. Lamoreaux thinks part of it is professional development. When she was working on getting SIM Women organized, Lamoreaux, right, discovered a need to develop soft skills in female IT managers. Beginning at that CIO conference attended by so few women, she began asking female CIOs and women directors and vice presidents who they go to for help. "What shocked me was female CIOs would say 'whoever's got the answer — that's who I go to for help,'" she said, "whereas women who were directors and VPs said, 'Well, I would never ask a man for help.'" Pressed for clarification they said they couldn't afford to be perceived as incapable, even if it meant wasting a lot of time looking for a woman who could help. "I said, we have to get the female CIOs together with the women who are coming up through the ranks," Lamoreaux recalled, "because obviously there's a gap in soft skills and leadership and we need to address it if these women ever hope to become CIOs." In response, SIM Women offers programs that revolve around trends in the industry, helping women avoid pitfalls and take ownership of their careers. The events are designed to be "booster shots" of leadership development. For example, each month the group stages a webinar — the next one features a former CIO and executive coach instructing participants about team leadership. SIM Women also hosts events, such as a recent breakfast in Philadelphia about becoming "board bound." Interestingly, that one was well-attended by male SIM members. What's next? Step up! Lamoreaux and Balkan agree that women themselves can make a difference. Lamoreaux says that SIM Women encourages each of its members to promote the field as a great career choice for women. "Do something," she urges. Set aside a day or an afternoon and go talk to junior and senior high school classes. Offer to work with Girl Scout troops. And tell some stories about how much fun technology can be, she said. While you're at it, contact the W. P. Carey School's WIT club. Professor Balkan said she's already been in touch with several local professionals who are very excited to help, but club President Soumya will be looking for lots of speakers to fill out the calendar. If you want to get involved, contact Kristen Lamoreaux or see SIM Women. To help ASU's WIT club contact Sule Balkan.