During her career, Hannah Maddock has worked with some impressive brands including Debenhams and Paul’s Boutique. She joined Statement when it was just her and one other women leading the project management side of things. Watching Statement and her team grow along the way, Hannah gave us insight into how she crafted a fantastic career in tech and how you could do the same.
how did you get into a career in tech?
I did my degree in retail and marketing management and my dissertation in eCommerce. I first worked for a small company and then moved on to Debenhams working for their online department. I’d actually managed a platform migration from the client side which piqued my interest in migration projects, and I decided I wanted to move to the agency side. That’s when I found Statement.
I came in as a project manager to a really small team. At the time it was just me and one other female colleague, but the team has grown a lot since then. We required more structure, so I moved into a senior project management role last year and most recently into a lead role. It has been a steep learning curve, especially because my background is in retail eCommerce rather than project management. Having a career change can be scary but taking that leap of faith has ended up being really beneficial for me.
why do you think tech has a reputation of being a male-dominated career path?
I think it goes back to what you were exposed to when you were younger. Males were stereotypically more likely to have been exposed to computer games with their peers. There are more and more women coming into tech roles, but in certain areas, like the development team, there's still some way to go making it more of a balance.
what advice would you give to women just starting in their careers in tech?
I think you need to try as many things as you can to discover what you enjoy. Don’t feel like you have to stick to one particular path because trying a few different things will help you land on something that you prefer.
When I joined Statement, I had no previous project management experience. I started with Jeni who has a project management background, so everything I know I’ve learnt from her. She’s been a really supportive manager and role model in the team. I think it's an exciting industry to be a part of, and it's something that's not going away – it’s just growing and growing.
Are you considering a career in tech but wondering how to get started? You’re not alone. We’re proud of our workforce and are consistently on the lookout for new talent to add to our team. Take a look at the current roles we have available and let’s help match you up with the career you’ve always wanted.
