Girls In Tech

This blog originally posted on SocialVibe.

Common sense (and many a local law) tells you to put the phone down while driving. You’ve read the studies about why texting while driving is not only a danger to yourself, but to other drivers. Your chances of having a wreck increases 23-fold the second you pick up your phone. Research has even shown that using a phone while driving (even hands-free) is more risky than driving drunk! Still, we’re stubborn, and can’t seem to resist the urge to multitask, so we turn our focus away from the road and onto our phones. Hello, we’re busy, didn’t you know?

This mildly lengthy PSA, produced by the Tredegar Comprehensive and Gwent Police, not-so-gently illustrates just why we need to break ourselves of this potentially deadly habit. Warning: not for the faint of heart.

Click to watch.

Are we that impatient? Is our safety not that important to us? Please, think before you text and drive. I promise that text can wait until you are pulled over, parked, or out of your car. Take it from me, the girl who has been in not one but two accidents as a result of Blackberry-ing behind the wheel. One text could cost someone their life!

Tags: driving, sms, texting
Posted in Girls In Tech | 4 Comments »

On October 10th we will be inviting all of the Chapter Managing Directors and Advisory Board Members from all over the world to Santa Cruz for our Retreat where we will be working together to foster the growth of the organization.

The agenda for the retreat is shaping up very nicely and we wanted to share our progress. The event location is currently TBD but we plan on making a decision this week! We are very excited about the program we are putting together and look forward to making the retreat an annual event. If you are interested in assisting in the planning of the event, would like to sponsor or would like to attend, please email seana at girlsintech dot net.

Girls in Tech First Annual Retreat Agenda

October 9th, 2009
- 7 – 9 PM Welcome Mixer

October 10th, 2009
- 8:30 AM Coffee & Breakfast, Networking
- 9:00 AM Welcome remarks by Adriana Gascoigne (Founder)
- 9:15 AM  ‘Chapter Evolution’ Morning session round table on what works and what doesn’t
- 10:00 AM Keynote (Kara Swisher of the Wall Street Journal and AllThingsDigital)
- 10:30 AM Break
- 11:00 AM Public Speaking Workshop with Bronwyn Saglimbeni and Kristine Schaefer
- 1:00 PM Lunch
- 2:00 PM Social Media Scalability for Social Businesses with JD Lasica
– 3:00 PM Women in VC Panel
- 4:00 PM Fireside chat w/ Priya Ganapati (formerly of Red Herring, currently at TheStreet & WIRED)
- 5:00 PM Closing remarks: Where we are taking GIT from here
- 5:30 PM Beach BBQ & Bonfire!

Tags: girls in tech, Kara Swisher, public speaking, retreat, santa cruz, social media, venture capital, Wall Street Journal, women in tech, women in vc
Posted in All Chapters | 3 Comments »

DigiGirlz. No, they are not the latest characters in a new sci-fi cartoon series, (although it may sound like it at first). Microsoft’s DigiGirlz programs give high school girls the opportunity to learn about careers in technology, participate in hands-on computer and technology workshops, and shadow or mentor with Microsoft employees. What they have done and continue to do throughout the summer is put on High-Tech Camps — for girls to participate in technology tours and demonstrations, network, listen to high-tech executive speakers, and learn via hands-on workshops throughout the camp. These 2-3 day camps are chock-full of real-life experiences that girls aged 13 through grade 10 can take with them as they explore the field of technology. Its main goal is to dispel the stereotypes of the high-tech industry & careers (as being daunting, or unattainable, etc.).

The program, founded in 2000, came out of Microsoft employees’ desire to reach out in their diversity efforts. One of their main targets for diversity, aside from any ethnicity, is girls. It is one of their programs in their initiative to gain and retain top female talent. Now that is something Girls in Tech can get behind, completely!

To read more about it, see Microsoft’s website for the program:
DigiGirlz:
http://www.microsoft.com/about/diversity/programs/digigirlz/default.aspx
DigiGirlz High-Tech Camp:
http://www.microsoft.com/about/diversity/programs/digigirlz/hightechcamp.aspx

Posted in Girls In Tech | 2 Comments »

Like many of you, I am also job hunting. I am searching though job listings, using my network, and trying to expand it. We hear many, many stats telling us that of all the job-hunting techniques, networking is the most effective. But, what if networking is not working for you? Your industry is going through restructuring. Your contacts are going through the same thing you are. Now what?

So, I came across this book at the bookstore – Get Hired Fast, Tap the Hidden Job Market in 15 Days.  Okay, I am not naïve enough to believe the title, but it did get my attention. Quickly flipping through it, it provides a 15-Day Action Plan to tap into the “hidden job market”.  The argument here is to use the direct-calling approach – calling people you have never met. You target people in key hiring position with companies you are interested in. It provides advices on how to cold call. Of course, you need to do in-depth research first, such as company mission, competitors, current company projects, what you can bring to the company… Next, you need to get at least 150 contacts. How? Google, Hoovers, Yahoo Finance, alumni associations… The point is not to know them personally, just people to call.

Then, call them.  Make 5 calls in the mornings. Make 5 calls in the afternoons. Arrange one to two in-depth conversations with hiring contacts within a selected company. Per day. This is hard work. You will get rejection. 50 calls can lead to only 8 connections, to 1 interview.

Call with confidence. Call before work day starts (6:30 to 8 am) or after work days ends (5-7pm). Call at 50 minutes past the hour, when the contact just finish a meeting, with a few minutes before the next one. Call with a rehearsed script. And call.

The book really pushed you out of your comfort zone. It goes against your natural job hunting instincts. But if you are frustrated with how things are now, it is worth a shot.

Be on the lookout for details of the GIT Silicon Valley launch event on Thrusday, 9/10.

http://gitiphoneapps.eventbrite.com/

Tags: Getting a job, jobs, networking
Posted in All Chapters, Silicon Valley | No Comments »

SGN’s Global Communications/Marketing Intern will assist with media relations, blogging, media research, preparing presentations, and producingreports/analytics/audits. All tasks will be managed by our Director of Global communication with the objective of producing a positive public image of SGN products and industry presence. Qualified candidates possess strong writing skills, enthusiasm for the tech industry, and a natural journalistic curiosity. Ultimately, the Intern may be empowered to take action on behalf of SGN as deemed appropriate by his or her mentor.

All candidates must submit the following to HR@SGN.com: 
Letter of inquiry
 Resume/CV
. Please use the subject line “PR Intern”.
 Applicants who fail to use the correct subject heading or provide the required materials will not be considered for the position.

Tags: gaming, girls in tech, jobs, SGN, Silicon Valley, Social Gaming Network, women in tech
Posted in Silicon Valley | No Comments »

Girl in Tech hosted our first Journalism 2.0 event last week and we had an amazing group of women tech journalists represented on a panel moderated by Kara Swisher from The Wall Street Journal.  The panelists included VentureBeat’s Camille Ricketts, TechieDiva’s Gina Hughes, former San Francisco Chronicle tech editor Deborah Gage, ZDNet’s Jennifer Leggio, and Ubergizmo editor Eliane Fiolet.   Before the panel started, Kara sat down with with Brian Solis to chat with him about his book “Putting the Public back in Public Relations”.

Photo credit: Kenneth Yeung

The roundtable opened up with a discussion about how blogs have affected traditional media.  Everyone agreed that the blogosphere is often a big echo chamber where people retell the same story.  And while that can be the case, well written professional blogs are replacing what newspapers do, and citizen journalism is pushing traditional journalism towards new technology like twitter and video.

On the topic of women in journalism, our panelists shared their personal stories of being stared at, instead of listened to and taken seriously.  They believed that the best way to combat sexism in the workplace is to prove your knowledge and earn credibility through the quality of your work.  Everyone cautioned against the temptation of using sex appeal to get ahead — warning that employing it diminishes credibility over time.

Finally our panelists gave the audience a number of career tips from their own personal experience.  I’ve listed the ones that resonated the most with me below.

1. Learn the job and don’t worry about being female.
2. If you want to start in a new area – jump right in, don’t be afraid to take unpaid internships, and don’t think you’re “too good” for a job.  (ZDNet’s Jennifer Leggio started her journalism career as na obituary writer)
3. Follow your instincts and don’t be afraid to fail.
4. Don’t take “no” for an answer.
5. Don’t worry about slights or disappointments.  Learn from them.

Photo credit: Kenneth Yeung

A huge thank you to Kara Swisher and our amazing panelists for sharing their stories and experiences with us.  And big thanks to Allison Bethurem for pulling the event together on behalf of Girls in Tech, and FutureWorks PR for sponsoring the event.

Tags: Brian Solis, Camille Ricketts, Deborah Gage, Eliane Fiolet, Gina Hughes, Jennifer Leggio, Journalism 2.0, Kara Swisher, Tech Reporting, TechieDiva, Tina Tran, Ubergizmo, VentureBeat, Wall Street Journal, ZDNet
Posted in San Francisco | No Comments »

Join us for Chicks Who Click, a conference and networking event for women engaging in social media!  Your very own Adriana Gascoigne will be kicking off the conference with “Collaboration via commonalities within women in business and technology”-you don’t want to miss her speak amongst many other valuable female voices in the tech/social media community.

The one-day conference will take place Saturday, August 22, at The Garden Court Hotel, 522 Cowper Street.  A tweet-up is planned for Friday, August 21, at the Empire Grill and Tap Room, this is an open invitation to all who would like to join us and learn more about Chicks who Click.  Saturday will commence at 8:30 a.m. with breakfast and networking.  The conference will go to 5:00 p.m. and end with networking, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at Joya Restaurant

Palo Alto is boasting an incredible line-up of speakers, great networking and wine provided by St Supery Winery!  The conference will leave you feeling inspired, educated and connected-register today for only $149!

Chicks Who Click is a community of like-minded women using social media to further collaborate, listen, learn and experiment with new media tools that will enhance their careers and personal networks. Conferences have sold out in Kansas City and Boulder, CO., and became International last month with its expansion to Vancouver, BC.

Event sponsors include, Metzger Associates, Sears/Kmart, Lijit and Crocs. With a special thanks to media sponsors, Mashable and Girls in Tech.

Registration information may be found at Chicks who Click, Eventbrite or by calling 720.833.5923.  There is a special GIT discount of 20% by using the discount code

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Chicks Who Click, girls in tech, San Jose, women in tech
Posted in All Chapters | 1 Comment »

Catherine Kaputa, Brand Strategist, Speaker, and Author of The Female Brand

Catherine Kaputa, author of The Female Brand: Using the Female Mindset to Succeed in Business, has some great tips about how to maximize your strengths as a woman in business. She urges women to “stop trying to act like men in the workplace” and instead to utilize our innate strong points at every opportunity. She lists 5 business-savvy aptitudes that women tend to have in abundance.

Aptitude # 1: Social Perception.
Aptitude # 2: People Power.
Aptitude # 3: Communication Agility.
Aptitude # 4: Vibrant Visual Identity.
Aptitude # 5: Leadership that Includes and Empowers.

“Such a leadership style will result in loyal, committed, hardworking colleagues and employees and will give you a distinct advantage and reputation as a problem solver.”

Her tips especially apply to leaders of technical teams, where close collaboration, tight deadlines, and frustrating specification changes can create major interpersonal tension.

Read more details on her blog.

Tags: business skills, entrepreneurship, Leadership, women
Posted in All Chapters | No Comments »

In this classic novel, 1984, George Orwell described a society in which the government had almost total control over the people. The ruler of the party was called “Big Brother”, and he utilized the “thought police” to invade the privacy of all citizens.

In a social climate where getting a job is a major coup, keeping it could be a just as challenging if you aren’t monitoring access to your information. In our tech-driven, social networking saturated society, nowhere is this concept ringing more true than in the area of employment law. Workplace privacy protection has become a major area of interest for both employees and employers.

Employers are utilizing Facebook and other social networking sites more and more in all stages of the employment process, from application and hiring, to firing and even in the defense of lawsuits. Human Resource departments are more frequently searching an individual’s social networking pages for inappropriate pictures and interactions before hiring. In the same vein, companies do the same as a reason for firing, an even easier task as most employees are at-will to begin with. Companies are seeing these sites and individual pages as a reflection, real or imagined, on the company as a whole. These lines of privacy are being further blurred by current litigation that is creating precedent in this area of law.

Recent case law has gone both ways. Some Federal Cases have held that an employee’s personal information is not protected in a lawsuit if he or she utilizes the internet to search sites, check personal e-mail and go on social networking sites during office hours. What most employees fail to notice is that a majority of companies now have explicit policies restricting to their information, history and passwords. The real underlying question remains: Do employees have a reasonable subjective and objective expectation of privacy?

Whichever way you answer this question, the fact remains that telephone, computer, and electronic mail and voicemail monitoring have become much more common in the workplace. What is even more challenging is the limitation this puts on social networking sites and the perpetually hazy lines being overstepped by co-works and bosses.

The lesson to be learned is relatively simple but crucial. Make sure that you have privacy settings in place on your personal networking pages so that not just anyone can see them, make sure you are filtering what you put on your page and what you let others post, and make sure you know who has access to your information on these sites. This is a particularly important issue for the younger generation of people who have not yet seen the value in these sites for business purposes. Similarly, be aware of what you are doing online on company time, as this information and your right to privacy may soon no longer be protected. So consistently clear your cookies and search histories and never save passwords at work because big brother is watching, and thanks to the law, may be able to watch you in ways you never imagined.

Laurel Kaufman, Esq.
Co-Founder, AK Consulting Group
www.ak-cg.com
follow me on twitter @LaurelKaufman
facebook: Laurel Kaufman

Tags: big brother, employment law, facebook, privacy
Posted in Girls In Tech, Los Angeles | 2 Comments »

What happens when fashion and personal style meets social media?  You get Chictopia, a fashion destination website and social network for fashionistas.  I recently met Helen Zhu, co-founder and CEO of Chictopia, while on the Geeks on a Plane tour in Asia, and her combination of style and substance struck me straight away.  While on a late-night, post-club stroll home in Shanghai, we bonded over our shared passion for the start-up life.

Although Helen had always wanted to combine her talents and personal interests to launch a company, it was Time Magazine’s Person of the Year 2006 cover article that struck a nerve.  Time Magazine’s 2006 person was You.  Time applauded people’s creative contribution to changing the landscape of global media and social interaction through blogging, social networks and sites like YouTube and Wikipedia.  2006 was about the power of individual contribution in the new digital democracy.

Helen and her two co-founders launched Chictopia in April 2008 as a place for trendsetters and fashion devotees to connect and share their personal style with others.  The site allows people to rate styles and encourages users to upload photos of themselves in their favorite outfits so that others with similar shapes and taste can learn from and be inspired by real people like themselves, rather than get ideas for fashion from what supermodels are wearing in magazines.  Ranked as a top 4 style site by Nylon magazine, Chictopia is already profitable, thanks mostly to their focus on revenue and growth.  Rather than start from scratch, Chictopia looked to sites like Facebook, Yelp, and Catster for inspiration when they started building the site.

Jump into the world of Chictopia – and while you’re there check out the newly launched fashion contest sponsored by Forever21, including a 10% off Forever21 promotion available exclusively to Chictopia members.  Congratulations to Helen and her founding team for delivering a unique offering and inspiring us to follow our passions!

Tags: Chictopia, fashion, Helen Zhu, social media, Tina Tran
Posted in All Chapters | No Comments »