"Be confident, be true' - Farah's advice to women wanting to work in tech

When I moved from marketing into tech, it was a learning experience. In a male dominated industry, I noticed I sometimes had to adjust how I spoke to make sure I was heard. The jargon was new to me, and at first it could feel a bit overwhelming. But I quickly realised that just as I was unfamiliar with some technical terms, others did not always understand UX research terminology either.

Time has often been a significant challenge in my career. In technology, the pace moves very quickly, and even the most important research or discoveries must be delivered at the right moment to remain relevant. For me, the focus is on delivering insights when they are most needed, ideally sooner rather than later, so that the work we do has maximum impact.

Earning your space as a female in tech sometimes means making sure you do not let yourself feel intimidated and learning to feel comfortable in a room where you might be the only woman. I approached it as a learning curve. I focused on picking up the language, asking thoughtful questions, and earning my seat at the table. Over time I realised that the words themselves were not intimidating, they were just labels to get used to. The important thing was knowing my value, contributing my expertise, and being confident in the impact I could make.

If I was asked what advice I'd give to younger women in tech based on my experience, I'd say to be confident and true to who you are. You are capable and a subject matter expert. Do not be afraid to push back or ask questions. The reason you are in this space is because you know what you are doing.