Feminism, in our language, is three times equal

One of the problems why there are not more women in the technology sector is the lack of references, they said. This International Women’s Day, we introduce you to some of our female team members. Brilliant professionals with different roles and backgrounds but the same career fulfillment, who we asked to encourage and inspire other women to pursue their vocational dreams.

Alejandra Román is Z1’s COO. She graduated in telecommunication engineering and has worked at major multinationals such as BMW or Dyson. At Z1 she spends her days collaborating with other colleagues to transform the studio and help everyone thrive.

“I love making people feel part of a community, part of a team working together to achieve a goal”.

‍ What are some of the biggest challenges women face in the tech industry in your opinion?

Lack of self-confidence, imposter syndrome and the unconscious bias that we as a society all have, and that make us automatically assign certain characteristics or assume certain things about women, men, black people, foreigners… For example, it’s not extrange to be the only woman in meetings, and that everyone assumed that you are the secretary.

How would you address them or what could a product studio like Z1 do to promote gender equality in technology?

I would foster a management culture that takes women out of their comfort zone, that challenges them while supporting them, that has mentors who not only talk the talk but that actually walk the walk.

‍ What advice would you give to all those young women who are just starting their careers?

Experiment, surround yourself with people who will help you grow, strive, learn English, and get out of your comfort zone.

Bárbara Carranco is Z1’s People Operations Specialist. Graduated in psychology, she takes care of enhancing the quality of life and job satisfaction of our employees among other important back-office tasks.

“Being in constant contact with my colleagues helps me create better strategies that can truly make a difference and positively impact their lives”.

‍ What do you consider your greatest professional achievement to date?

Having the courage to change jobs to keep growing professionally and personally.

What are some of the biggest challenges women face in the tech industry in your opinion?

A masculinized world where our impostor syndrome keeps us from advancing in our careers. We feel so much pressure to prove our value and talent, that too many times we end up blocked in a self tailored maze.

How would you address them or what could a product studio like Z1 do to promote gender equality in technology?

Z1 is a clear example of a company that offers benefits to foot in the work-family balance. Being more present in the public world, showing its example, becoming a reference in the field, as well as organizing workshops to empower women to join the tech industry are some of the things Z1 could do to foster feminism.

What advice would you give to all those young women who are just starting their careers?
Dig and grow in what you are passionate about without labeling yourself.

Cecilia Tesaire is one of our project managers. She is responsible for overseeing projects from start to finish, ensuring that they are completed on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of the clients.

“What I value the most about working at Z1 is the people, the feeling of belonging to a true and committed team.”

What do you consider your greatest professional achievement to date?

Having been able to detect that I needed a push in my professional career and to carry it out by studying front-end development.

What are some of the biggest challenges women face in the tech industry in your opinion?

I think that in the tech industry, as in many others, women “have to make room for themselves.” There are too many prejudices towards women about their knowledge, performance and dedication, something that I have seen come to the fore in this sector where I’ve met older women who haven’t found jobs as devs because of their age, something I’ve never seen happen to men. To study frontend I chose ADA, an NGO that offers programming training only to women, because it’s proven that women who want to get involved in technology feel self-conscious about asking questions in the presence of men.

How would you address them or what could a product studio like Z1 do to promote gender equality in technology?

I think Z1 is on the right path: promoting equality, providing flexible schedules, and giving young professional women a chance to join the sector.

What advice would you give to all those young women who are just starting their careers?

I’d say that the best way to achieve your professional goals is to actually define those goals properly, and to have clear convictions that help you persevere.

Luisa Jara is Z1’s motion and UI designer. She is an essential part of the design team, working very close with illustrators and developers.

“It’s exciting to see how our creations, the things that we imagine, come to life on different devices”.

What do you consider your greatest professional achievement to date?

Bravely face the blank page of each new project. Get out of my comfort zone every time to search and find the best solution in every case.

What are some of the biggest challenges women face in the tech industry in your opinion?

If you are lucky enough not to have a boss who belittles you, the biggest difficulty lives within ourselves: lack of confidence, acquired helplessness and impostor syndrome.

How would you address them or what could a product studio like Z1 do to promote gender equality in technology?

Breaking the glass ceiling including more women in leadership positions, not only in middle management but also at the C-level, and carrying out initiatives like this one to boost women visibility and raise their voices.

What advice would you give to all those young women who are just starting their careers?

When you are young, you meet too many people who don’t trust you or underestimate you. People tell you what your place is in the world without even asking or that you won’t achieve your dreams given your circumstances. Don’t listen to them. Keep focus, work hard, and follow your way to become what you want to be no matter what. Never forget that you don’t have to show anything to anyone, just yourself.

‍Marta Caballero is Z1’s Content Designer. A renowned journalist, decided to make a twist in her career by joining our studio to add creativity and structure the content of the products we design.

“My day-to-day work is very varied and interesting, since every project we craft at Z1 is different from the previous one”.

What do you consider your greatest professional achievement to date?

To take on professional challenges that entailed a change of schemes with respect to what I had done before. I’ve worked in traditional press, digital journalism, political and cultural communication, and content creation for digital products. In the end, the ability to adapt and not being afraid of changes has been my motto in these intense 20 years of my career. Of course, if you ask me, I will always say I’m a journalist.

What are some of the biggest challenges women face in the tech industry in your opinion?

Our professional field is traditionally male-dominated, so it seems to have been more difficult for us to make progress. However, our industry is going to demand millions of jobs, and we’re going to be totally needed. In the case of content creation, a sector that, I suspect, will be occupied by more women in the design of digital products, our challenge will be to convince the world of the importance of words in a design system, so that it is no longer considered a kind of side job.

‍ How would you address them or what could a product studio like Z1 do to promote gender equality in technology?

The key is to keep an eye on the wage gap and the glass ceiling to erase them. In addition, it would be interesting to collaborate in the training of women in our field, as well as in helping raise technical vocations.

What advice would you give to all those young women who are just starting their careers?

Don’t be afraid to bet on what you are passionate about or what you are best at, even if there are voices that recommend other positions. Don’t hesitate to raise your voice against situations in which you feel undervalued and make the fight for equality yours by a constant militancy and alertness that transcends March 8.

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Originally published on Z1’s blog.