Variation in the role

Heather VanCura: Yes, I like to do different things because I get bored easily. I like that there's a technical challenge to this job. I don't have a technical background, but I understand and have learned about tech at a high level. I've had to learn that. There's always something new to learn from people and the way they use Java around the world.

There are many different jobs that one can have within this industry. Often, people think that tech is not for them because they don't see themselves as being a programmer. There are many different roles and being a developer advocate is one of them. There are different official job descriptions for that position, as we've discussed. You wouldn't necessarily say that the chairperson of the JCP is an advocate, but that's definitely part of my job.

Geertjan Wielenga: Earlier, you mentioned women in software development. Could you talk about that further?

Heather VanCura: Part of my role is speaking with women and sharing my advice for working in tech.

I've noticed that women appreciate that conversation, especially women who are newer in the field or maybe want to take the next step in their career.

People tend to gravitate toward people like themselves, so women often think they need advice from a woman. What I tell them is that I never had a female mentor. You can do this role without having any other women around you.

There's this pervasive belief that tech is a meritocracy, so it doesn't matter who you are or what you are; if you just do your work and get it done, the belief is that it will be recognized. I think that's a fallacy. You do have to be excellent at your job, get your work done, and work hard to succeed, but that really is just the baseline for keeping your job.

If you want to thrive in tech, you also need to set aside time to grow your network. You need other people. You need to increase your visibility and you can't do that if you're just doing your job and not thinking about anything else. You also need to look at ways to expand your influence. If you're just putting your head down and doing your job, and then going home, you're limiting your ability to be successful in your career. I think that applies to a man or a woman.

Geertjan Wielenga: Are you saying that working hard won't help you to be successful?

Heather VanCura: No, you do need to work really hard, but that's not enough. There are certain things that you need to do, which tend to be things that a lot of women that I've spoken to don't enjoy doing, such as self-promotion and negotiation. Those things are not explicitly stated, but I believe you have to do them.

You also need sponsors, mentors, and allies. You need to take the time to do some out-of-the-office activities, such as going to lunch with people. Take the time to get to know them, especially people who are different from you.

Self-promotion is not just talking about how great you are, but looking at ways to make sure that the work you're doing is actually being seen and recognized. You have to negotiate for high-profile projects and assignments. You can't just take whatever comes your way. You need to take the time to look up and assess the situation. What does your manager care about? What does your vice president (VP) care about? What is the whole direction of your company? Are the projects that you're being assigned things that are going to contribute to that?

Negotiating can also be applied to asking for a promotion. It's not necessarily always going to be given to you if you don't ask. You can't expect that you're going to get a raise or that you're going to be paid well just because you're working really hard. People who ask are more likely to get what they want!

Geertjan Wielenga: What do you think about the idea that women may not be so well represented in tech because they simply are not that interested in tech versus other career choices?