MARSbySHEROES and Harvard Business School Join Hands to Pioneer Inclusivity for Women in Tech with Remote Opportunities
MARSbySHEROES, in a pioneering partnership with Harvard Business School, is set to revolutionize the tech industry by championing inclusivity and providing tailored remote career opportunities for women in technology. Join us as we shape a more diverse and equitable future in the ever-changing technology landscape.
Shobha, a software engineer, seeks to re-enter the workforce after a career break to raise her family. However, she is concerned about proving her technical skills to potential employers. Shobha is also worried that her technical skills have become outdated during her career break. Technology evolves rapidly, and she feels uncertain about her proficiency in the latest programming languages, frameworks, and tools.
Shobha is concerned about the potential negative impact of her career break on her employability. She is also looking for remote work opportunities to accommodate her personal commitments but is worried about finding a job that aligns with her skills and experience, as remote work may not be prevalent in all industries or roles. Women like Shobha encounter formidable barriers when seeking to re-enter the workforce after a career break.
While researching remote work opportunities and industries that embrace flexibility, Shobha stumbled upon MARSbySHEROES. For the past seven years, MARSbySHEROES has been working with women and offering them access to employment opportunities with top-tier companies like Paytm, Zomato, Delhivery, Unilodgers and many more. Ranging from customer support, back-office functions, data entry, and social media management, to various other operational business processes, women are enabled to leverage their diverse skills.
Expanding the Technical Talent Pool
To augment the return of women in tech, MARSbySHEROES is exploring ways to expand its technical talent pool. With a plan to provide training for women who need the same including existing MARS partners who previously worked in technical roles before taking a career break, and technical college graduates who are new to the workforce.
Via this partnership a thorough assessment was created, tailored to women like Shobha. Through consultations with MARS Partners, the team pinpointed three key personas among the potential user pool. These personas include:
- MARS Partners (non-technical): Women with prior work experience in non-tech jobs, looking to upskill and re-enter the workforce.
- MARS Partners (technical): Women with prior technical backgrounds looking to re-enter the workforce, seeking a job that fits their family responsibilities.
- Technical college students: Recent graduates entering the job market and eager to gain practical experience.
Insights from Vetted MARS Partners: Unveiling Challenges and Needs
After 20 hours of in-depth interviews with vetted MARS partners in the extended MARS network, the following insights were noted:
- Desire to Showcase their full potential: While all three groups share an ardent desire to showcase their full potential, they grapple with specific challenges such as skills gaps and limited experience. Notably, women who have taken a career break for caregiving purposes face bias against them, which is particularly evident in experience-related inquiries. Moreover, women who come from technical backgrounds exhibit higher confidence in their skills and abilities; nevertheless, they still require training to quickly catch up. On the other hand, women who do not have any prior technical experience are more motivated to explore new opportunities while simultaneously being eager to return to the workforce.
- Building Confidence for Success: One common hurdle that emerged during the interviews was a lack of confidence. Low confidence and self-doubt present a major barrier for women when it comes to completing assessments. Women may face low confidence levels due to career gaps or lack of experience, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and deter them from applying for jobs.
- Flexibility and a supportive environment: In an industry driven by continuous advancements, women value flexibility and a supportive work environment over higher pay. Those with family responsibilities find it challenging to strike a balance between personal commitments and a technical career. Flexible work arrangements and organizational support are crucial to addressing this issue. Additionally, many technical college students from Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities prefer remote work options to stay close to their families.
The way ahead for Women in Tech
With a focus on bringing women back into tech and in collaboration with a team of students from Harvard Business School, MARSbySHEROES developed a practical assessment that accurately evaluates the technical skills of potential partners. The test includes theoretical knowledge, practical exercises, coding challenges, or other relevant evaluation methods to ensure a thorough assessment. This is specifically designed for women like Shobha who come from a technical background and aim to restart their careers in technology while working remotely.
Conclusion: Fostering Inclusivity and Diversity in Tech
In a world where technology constantly evolves, women like Shobha, a skilled software engineer, often face challenges when trying to re-enter the workforce after a career break. The tech industry, while rapidly advancing, still struggles with diversity and inclusivity. However, MARSbySHEROES is actively working towards increasing women’s representation in this ever-evolving field.
Through this groundbreaking initiative, MARSbySHEROES aims to enable women like Shobha to re-enter the tech industry with confidence, determination, and a supportive environment. By driving inclusivity and diversity, this partnership endeavors to create a brighter, more equitable future for women in tech. Together, we are shaping a path where women can excel in technology, embrace remote work options, and overcome obstacles in the ever-transforming tech landscape.
MARS (Managed Remote Solutions) is a specialized unit of SHEROES that enables businesses to streamline their backend and operational processes. Through a managed service approach, MARS taps into a pool of highly skilled, pre-qualified, certified women working remotely. These talented professionals contribute their expertise to help businesses thrive and achieve their goals efficiently. Become a certified MARS Partner now.
