Coming back to work? It’s the best time to transition into Cybersecurity and Tech!
Whether it’s after maternity leave or a sabbatical, re-entering the workforce can be daunting. Your life and priorities have changed, and having been away from work for months—perhaps even years—means you’ll need time to get back into the groove of things. And what If you’re planning a return to work, but don’t have a job waiting for you? No matter what, getting back into the job market is a good time to consider a career change.
It might surprise you to learn there’s never been a better time to be a woman in the workforce, with opportunities in all fields available to you. And two of them are cybersecurity and technology—industries still predominantly run by men—but offering incredible career prospects for women as well. Still unsure? Read on to learn more about the top 10 reasons why you should pursue a career in cybersecurity or tech when returning to work.
1. You Will Feel Empowered
Hardly anything feels as empowering as breaking down glass ceilings, or thriving in a role when others doubted you simply because you are a woman. You have nothing to prove to anybody, but it still feels good knowing you are part of a movement changing corporate gender dynamics, normalizing women working in traditionally male-occupied roles, and opening doors for generations of other women in tech. Don’t let your comfort zone keep you small; explore what you can achieve with courage, perseverance, and hard work in the exciting and challenging tech industry.
2. Attractive Salaries
Earning 84% of what men get for the same job is so 2020. Closing the gender pay gap is the new normal, and the great news is that tech jobs lead in salary equality. While women in tech still make less than men—2.5% less than their male counterparts—this discrepancy is much smaller than in other fields.
Overall, tech jobs pay incredibly well. Due to the high demand for technology professionals, with companies competing for the best talent, salaries in the industry are consistently high. Careers such as software engineers, UX designers, software architects, database administrators, data scientists, IT managers consistently rank among the highest paying jobs across all fields (source: Glassdoor).
For example, software engineers in the U. S. make an average of $108,249 per year, more than twice the 2019 American average annual wage of $51,916.
In addition to attractive base pays, many companies also offer great benefits and perks such as flexible working hours, work from home options, comprehensive medical insurance, free food at the office, a $1,000 – $2,000 travel allowance per year. There’s often maternity and paternity leave on full pay as well.
3. Cybersecurity and Tech Professionals Are in High Demand
According to Robert Half Technology’s 2022 IT salary report, the most in-demand jobs for 2022 are all data-focused and security-related positions that offer attractive compensation based on experience. The top 10 most in-demand jobs—all with great starting salaries—are:
- Database administrator and architect – $82,750
- Information security analyst – $115,000
- Software developer – $100,500
- Network and computer systems administrator – $79,750
- Computer programmer $90,750
- Web developer – $87,750
- Computer and information systems manager – $112,000
- Systems analyst – $83,000
- Help desk and desktop support professional – $36,500
- Network/cloud architect – $125,250
Knowing your role is essential to the success of a company gives you a sense of job security and pride, keys to your career development and wellbeing.
4. Job Satisfaction
Women re-entering the workforce face many challenges. Not everything will go your way, and you have to get used to constantly learning and adapting to the demands of your new career. But the good news is that working in tech is rewarding. The satisfaction you’ll feel when you apply what you’ve learned and see results is really fulfilling. It’s the kind of progress that will make your work worthwhile, and ensure real job satisfaction. When you add to this a positive work environment, attractive salary and benefits, the opportunities for job satisfaction are too good to pass up.
5. Flexibility
Many tech companies go above and beyond to make sure employees are happy and productive at work. One of the perks of the tech world is its flexibility. From deadlines to work-from-home options, and collaborating or working in different roles, there are multiple ways for you to make the most of your job in tech. If you’re worried about burnout, most companies in the tech field go all out to encourage a healthy work-life balance. This can include setting realistic expectations, and giving ample time to rest and reset whenever needed.
6. Opportunity to Learn and Grow
As a woman returning to work after maternity leave, you may yearn for new challenges. The tech industry is fast-paced and ever-changing, offering you plenty of opportunities to learn and grow every day. Whether it’s the tasks you work on, or new software and tech applications, you are sure to gain valuable skills and knowledge on the job.
7. It Never Gets Boring
There are so many different ways to be involved in the tech industry. From designing app features to developing new social networks and software solutions, the field offers endless opportunities for creativity and problem solving, which means you’ll never get bored at your job. And because tech roles attract some of the top talent around the world, you’ll be able to meet tons of interesting, inspiring people to work with. It’s a secret sauce that means you can expect an engaging work environment.
8. The Industry Needs Diversity
The face of the tech industry is changing, and when you get involved, you contribute to that shift. Because the industry lacks diversity, your presence will make a lasting impact. What’s more, you can provide your creativity and ideas and influence what is being produced, how it is being produced, and whether it is being developed with women as consumers in mind.
9. Make a Difference
Technology makes an impact on the world. It influences the way we travel, how we communicate, and the things we do everyday. Men and women in tech continually develop cutting-edge products that connect us, improve the environment, entertain us and even save lives. It’s an exciting field to work in, one that allows you to be part of groundbreaking ideas, and tomorrow’s innovation. No matter how big or small your role, working in tech allows you to contribute to a better world and make a difference.
10. Opportunities for All
One of the reasons we think technology is a field for everyone is its versatility. If software engineering or data analytics is not for you, you can find a role that suits you better. HR experts, marketing professionals, copywriters, project managers, and graphic designers are all required to make tech companies go. If you feel unprepared to work in the field, you can always opt to go back to school, get an additional degree, or take a few courses to gain extra skills that help you succeed in the industry.
Bottom Line
Few industries are as exciting, innovative, and well-paid as technology. It’s true that the field is predominantly led by men, but here’s the thing: the fact that there’s a shortage of skilled workers in tech means that more and more, companies are hiring talent from outside their traditional pipelines. According to a 2020 study by the AnitaB.org Institute, only 28.8% of the tech workforce is made up of women. Most likely this is due to old-fashioned preconceptions about women in the industry, and those are changing rapidly. They’ll have to.
Here’s another bottom line for you: Palette Skills is rapidly training and upskilling Canadians for careers in growing industries and connecting them with companies that are hiring now. Join other women in cybersecurity and tech and find out how working in these fields can transform your career and change your life. Contact us today!
