Athena Alumnae Meetup: Tech Edition
Join us at this upcoming virtual event
Technology is impacting our daily lives as we stay connected to the internet and to each other. It’s hard to avoid using technology, and we know that new applications of AI, blockchain, mixed reality, and the Internet of Things are all on the horizon, if not already relating to our mobile and smart devices. As liberal arts majors, our connection to technology is holistic, as we are equipped to innovate with technology as well as thoughtfully question technology use cases. How can we understand the variety of job and career opportunities available in this industry?
On Thursday November 12 at 12noon to 1:00p EST to hear from alumnae who are building their careers and professional networks in the technology industry. Athena seniors are also invited.
This Zoom meetup will be facilitated by Amy Chen ’10, Venture Capital Business Development Manager, Amazon Web Services. Discussion points will relate to connecting liberal arts to technology, especially as it relates to imposter syndrome. We’ll also cover learning curves, new skills and terminology. And, attendees can expect advice for aligning your career values to the technology industry.
Below are some questions we’ve been brainstorming for our event.
Topic: Preparing to enter tech
- What did you study at Barnard and how did you get to your current role?
- Do you leverage your liberal arts degree in your career today? How?
- What did you do during undergrad that helped you in your job today? What do you wish you had done differently?
- What advice do you have for other people who want to pursue a career in technology?
- How would you advise someone considering working at a tech startup vs a big tech company?
Topic: How to navigate opportunities while in tech
- Did you experience a steep learning curve? How did you assess what skills or knowledge you needed? How did you learn it?- Does working in tech get you out of your comfort zone? How? When have you taken on something new that you were nervous about / afraid of? Why were you afraid / nervous and what ended up happening?
- How do you keep up with the pace of technology innovation in your field? Is it overwhelming? What’s exciting about it?
Topic: The long term vision & values
- What’s your long term vision for building a career in tech? How has this vision evolved as you’ve met more people on the industry and expanded your understanding of the opportunities available?
- What are ways that you connect working in tech with your career values?
