We have already introduced you to some women from our Tech & Product department in various articles − but the topic of „Women in Tech“ never gets old. Attracting girls and young women to tech professions is important in times where skilled workers are at a shortage, but also to address the prevailing difference between the number of men and women in this field.
The proportion of women in our Tech & Product department is increasing. In each of our job posts, we explicitly pay attention to the equal treatment of applicants – and are happy to see a growing number of female applicants for tech positions. In this series, we interviewed four women from the Tech & Product department of Kaufland e-commerce.
Anna is a manager in the Data Science department. Together with her colleague Sebastian, she is responsible for the team and project management of all Data Science initiatives in various areas of the company, for example, in collaborations with product developers or the Marketing department. She has been part of Kaufland e-commerce since November 2021:
Anna, what do you like most about your job as Data Science Manager?
As a Data Science Manager, I can follow my passion for code, data and machine learning and create modern software products for our online marketplace together with my colleagues. I have always enjoyed building and fixing things, but I also love strategic planning and working with people.
In my professional development, I have been able to deepen my interest in mathematics beyond my studies and research – and find constructive and creative applications for theoretical concepts. This is what inspires me!
What advice would you give to young girls interested in a tech career?
I generally don’t think that girls and women need more advice. There is already a lot of that – and the amount of unsolicited advice creates uncertainty and additional barriers.
I think it is much more important to give young girls the time, space and resources to follow their own interests and invest in their own development. That’s where we can, and should, all join in by encouraging them in their initiatives!
What has helped me most in my professional life:
1. To focus on my strengths
2. To stick to my guns and accept other opinions without taking them personally
3. To look to people who could give me constructive and respectful feedback
Bianca studied Engineering & Teaching and has been working as a Junior Category Intelligence & Operations Manager for Kaufland e-commerce since August 2021:
Bianca, tell us – how did you decide to pursue a career in the tech area?
I have always had a great passion for technology, and everything related to it. After my studies, I wanted to explore, discover and expand my unique skill set in a new industry. This way, I feel like I bring as much added value as possible.
What tip would you give to young girls and women who are not yet sure whether a career in tech makes sense for them?
Instead of constantly asking yourself, „Why me?“ to get or do this job, reframe your thinking and rephrase the question into „Why not me?“ − be fearless and continue to show up every day as the strongest version of yourself.
Laura is a frontend engineer in the After Sales Area and part of the Login team. After studying Film & Photography, she joined us as a career changer in April 2021.
Laura, what do you like most about your job as a frontend engineer?
What I like about my job as a frontend engineer is that I can live out my passion for solving problems and at the same time create visible results. The fact that the Tech sector is constantly evolving, and you have to adapt to new technologies all the time suits my urge to learn very well and guarantees that I’ll never get bored. Another advantage for me is the possibility to actively shape the user experience of our customers to provide pleasant and barrier-free access for as many people as possible on our online marketplace.
Have you faced obstacles during your career because of your gender?
As a career changer, I have only had positive experiences so far in terms of the working environment, though I am aware that this cannot be taken for granted!
However, one topic that always concerns me is the gender-pay-gap and the question of how much less women in tech earn compared to their male colleagues for the same efforts. With one of my past employers, I suspected once that I was financially disadvantaged because of my gender, but the lack of transparency in many companies makes it difficult to even make comparisons or uncover pay mismatches.
Sylvia is a SEO manager and has been working for Kaufland e-commerce since June 2021.
Sylvia, tell us – why did you choose a tech job?
I chose a job in tech to work in an industry that constantly offers new challenges and exciting opportunities for my personal and professional growth.
It was important for me to find a job where I could try my hand at both creativity and technology. That’s why I chose the SEO field.
Have you faced any challenges during your career because of your gender?
For a very long time, like many other women, I had to struggle with the „Imposter Syndrome“. This is a feeling of never doing your job well enough and that this fact could be exposed at any time. Women in the tech industry often struggle to be taken seriously and respected, especially in a male-dominated work environment.
However, at Kaufland e-commerce I have found a workplace where I feel I am valued equally to my male colleagues and where I can use my skills and talents to the fullest.
We are proud of our female colleagues and diverse teams – whether they are in our Tech department or in other areas. They show that everything is possible at Kaufland e-commerce – as a career changer, newcomer or manager.
