6 Podcasts for Women Starting Careers in IT

In the ever-evolving world of tech entrepreneurship, we're still grappling with gender disparities despite efforts towards equality and diversity. It's disheartening to see that women hold just 26.7% of tech-related jobs and are underrepresented in leadership roles.However there are great examples of successful, self-made businesswomen who are shattering stereotypes in the tech industry. Their powerful stories are now featured in curated podcasts that are just what you need if you're considering a tech career. Here are the ones to check out.

1. Deeper Than Tech

Hosted by two women who built successful careers as software engineers, the goal of this podcast is to encourage newcomers, especially women, and help them understand how to navigate a career in tech. Short, to-the-point episodes explore topics such as tech bootcamps, salary negotiation, job stability, work-life balance, and other relatable topics.Deeper Than Tech provides guidance to women in tech on navigating the field and advancing their careers in roles such as software engineer, UX designer, scrum master, and more. If you're seeking answers to questions like how to get noticed and promoted, how to enter the tech industry without a degree, or how to deal with insecurities and challenges as a woman in this sector, this show is a must-listen.

Recommended episodes:

1. Working Mom In Tech: Can You Have it All?

Duration: 12 minutes

This podcast episode explores options for mothers who are considering breaking into the industry. It also delves into the possible challenges and shares tips on how to overcome them.

2. Salary Negotiation Tips For Women In Tech

Duration: 12 minutes

If you’ve been wondering how to approach salary negotiation as a woman in tech, check out this insightful episode. You’ll find specific and practical advice.

3. Working While In College: Weighing The Pros & Cons

Duration: 14 minutes

A discussion of the pros and cons of working while in college. The episode also explores the difference between students who graduate from coding bootcamps and those who graduate from college.

2. Breaking Into Startups

This podcast focuses on the stories of people who have transitioned into tech roles. With 1M+ downloads, it's a hotspot for career switchers. You can get tactical advice not only from industry veterans but also from people who are only just beginning their career in tech.

After quitting his job and embarking on a one-way journey to San Francisco, the podcast host, Ruben Harris, has begun sharing insider knowledge on breaking into startups. The show also explores a variety of tech roles and showcases alternative education options to gain skills necessary to thrive in tech companies.

Plus, for those looking to break into the industry, the team offers Career GPS, a self-paced online course led by the podcast hosts themselves. It’s designed as a five-step challenge to help kickstart your career in the tech industry, regardless of your background.

Recommended episodes:

1. Iris Nevins ― Teacher who became a Software Engineer at Mailchimp

Duration: 90 minutes

In this episode, Nevins discusses the challenges she experienced during her transition from education to tech. She also shares her insights into tackling change and breaks down her success formula for getting started in tech.

2. Rita Henderson — Breaking Into Tech as Teen Mom

Duration: 55 minutes

An episode featuring a single teen mom who broke into tech against all odds. Henderson traces back her unlikely path from poverty and teen pregnancy to working as a recruiter for a San Francisco-based tech company.  She reminisces about her college days when she was balancing work, studying, and motherhood.

3. Carly Robinson ― Chicago Actress who became a Software Engineering at Slack

Duration: 66 minutes

Robinson discusses how she got into coding and her determination to succeed in the world of tech. She emphasizes the importance of constant learning and good networking. Robinson also delves into the benefits of bootcamps, draws parallels between coding and ballet, and shares advice for those who would like to transition to tech from a completely different field.

3. Women Who Code

If you want to hear the personal stories of influential tech leaders across the globe, this podcast is a must. It delves into their challenges and triumphs, shedding light on the diverse opportunities available in the industry. You'll also find valuable information on the latest innovations, emerging trends, and visions for the future of working in the IT sector.

However, this show goes beyond providing tips and insights. It actively supports your tech aspirations. Women Who Code and TripleTen have partnered to offer a 50% scholarship to eligible WWCode members interested in TripleTen's part-time online coding bootcamps. These bootcamps offer beginner-friendly courses, focus on employability, and cover areas such as software engineering, data science, business intelligence analytics, and quality assurance. By completing the required form and following the steps, you can access the scholarship and kickstart your tech career in less than a year.

Recommended episodes:

1. Calli Rogers, Director, Data Engineering, CapTech Ventures

Duration: 25 minutes

Tune in for a conversation with Calli Rogers, Director at CapTech as she discusses her transition from Java services to Data Engineering. She highlights her commitment to constant learning and upskilling. She also focuses on overcoming biases, which she had to face as a woman rising to a leadership position in the field.

2. From Bootcamp to Shopify With Jessica Joly

Duration: 20 minutes

Jessica Joly discusses the details of her transition from law to a career in tech. She also shares valuable advice on how to maintain balance and achieve satisfaction by pursuing passions and interests outside of work.

3. Exploring Different Paths in IT

Duration: 48 minutes

In this episode, three women in the tech industry host a career panel where they discuss various job opportunities in tech beyond just development and engineering.

4. The Women in Tech Show

As its tagline says, this podcast focuses on work rather than gender. Hosted by Edaena Salinas, a software engineer at Microsoft, the show zeroes in on specific fields within the tech industry and their intricacies, ranging from software engineering, design, AI, entrepreneurship, and career strategy.Edaena's 5 Minute Mentor program provides quick weekly tips from tech experts. This section is more generalized and covers topics ranging from how to utilize your creativity and identify opportunities to opening doors for yourself as a woman in tech.

Recommended episodes:

1. Career Paths in Tech (Asya Kamsky)

Duration: 34 minutes

Asya Kamsky, Principal Developer Advocate at MongoDB, discusses various career paths in tech. She covers her experience in fields like software development, systems architecture and product management. Asya also shared her life hacks for navigating a career in tech.

2. The Importance of Mentorship with Cynthia Tee

Duration: 25 minutes

Cynthia Tee, Executive Director at Ada Developers Academy, shares her journey of leading diverse products at Microsoft for 20 years and mentoring women along the way. We discuss her impactful work at this tuition-free program in Seattle, empowering women to become software developers.

3. From Scientist to Software Developer with Blithe Rocher

Duration: 34 minutes

The conversation focuses on Rocher’s career switch and the steps she took to immerse herself in the field. She takes a look back at the low-paying job she had prior to becoming a developer and talks about motivation behind her decision to take a chance in the industry. Rocher also discusses the improvement in job security she felt once moving from academia to tech.

5. Ladybug Podcast

This podcast covers a wide range of topics, from creating digital content and financial planning to starting a company. But instead of getting too technical, the hosts keep things casual, summarizing the key points. If you enjoy laid-back discussions on important subjects, this podcast is the perfect vibe for you. Tune in every Monday for a new episode.

Hosted by four women, the Ladybug podcast focuses on software engineering, explores technical topics, career development strategies, and industry trends. The hosts are seasoned software developers working in different sectors. They share their experiences, expertise, and practical advice, making the podcast relatable and valuable for women at any stage of their tech journey.

Recommended episodes:

1. So You’ve Got A Job Offer, Now What? 

Duration: 55 minutes

What happens after you ace the interview and land a job? How do you make the transition smoother and get your feet on the ground? The hosts share their experience of making a career switch seamless and less stressful.

2. A Day In The Life Of Four Software Engineers

Duration: 60 minutes

This episode is for those who have been wondering what it feels like to be a software engineer. The conversation showcases what a daily routine of four different software engineers looks like.

The hosts discuss different stages of their careers and the roles they played, so the listeners can get a glimpse of what growth in the field feels like. You’ll also find book recommendations and a range of productivity methods that help the hosts stay on track with their busy schedules.

3. How to Create a Study Plan

Duration: 70 minutes

If you’ve been struggling with creating an efficient study plan, this is the episode for you. It explores different strategies on improving your learning efficiency and developing crucial habits to achieve your study goals.Listeners can learn about effective preparation techniques, goal-oriented study plans, and different ways to actively learn instead of simply memorizing. The hosts also dive into the daily routines that help them stay on track with their learning plan, providing the listeners with valuable habits to adopt and benefit from.

6. TechStart‍

This podcast, hosted by TripleTen grad Will Newsom, gives listeners a guide to breaking into tech. After all, that professional journey can seem difficult and intimidating for someone who’s never had a tech job before. This podcast pulls back the curtain on tech as Will chats with industry experts and people who have transitioned into tech.

TripleTen grads discuss their success stories to spark inspiration, and seasoned professionals share practical insider tips. Looking for inspiration? Looking to find out how people like you have successfully launched a brand-new career in tech? This is the listen for you.

Recommended episodes:

1. Empowering women in tech

Duration: 23 minutes

TripleTen career coach Sharahn McClung shares where the tech industry is now in terms of gender representation as well as the future of equality in the space. She also gives insight into the specific ways women who want to join tech can find support.

2. Family comes first

Duration: 22 minutes

Desiree Bradish was in a dead-end job. And she needed to help support a large family. Listen to her story to hear how she transitioned to tech to find time, improve her mental health, and start providing the resources her family needed.

3. Tech is the new fashion

Duration: 18 minutes

After 25 years in the fast-paced fashion industry, Isabelle Cuisset needed a change. Listen to this episode to hear how she joined a bootcamp to gain the skills to become a software engineer and how it’s never too late to start anew.

Need some more encouragement?

If these women’s stories have sparked your interest in pursuing a career in IT, rest assured that TripleTen is here to support you every step of the way. With our abundant resources and bootcamps, you will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to jumpstart your tech career.