Just because you don’t begin with a career in tech doesn’t mean you can’t end up with one. After doing a degree in fashion marketing, Hollie knew she was interested in helping brands grow but didn’t know where her passion lied. Eventually finding agency life and all that it has to offer, Hollie is now a project manager here at Statement, grabbing the opportunities that have come her way.
Read our interview with Hollie to find out how she found herself with a career in tech and why she thinks more women should get involved.
how did you get into a career in tech?
I did fashion marketing at university, and I always knew that I wanted to work with brands in the lifestyle, fashion and beauty space. In a way, I think I always knew that I wanted to work for an agency. When I found the job at Statement, it sounded really exciting and interesting. So, I kind of fell into it not knowing that it was a tech job…
what has been a highlight of your career so far?
I think it was probably moving to project management; it was a big move, and it was quite tough. When I put myself forward to move across from account management, knowing that the company trusted me enough to work on the project side of things was a big confidence boost.
I think doing the project management side of things, you really do see stuff happen from all angles. I knew how the sites worked and I was confident in my Shopify knowledge. It was almost like a clicking moment and I thought I’m so confident with all of this.
I think I'll always want to stay in this area. I still love the brand strategy side of things, but I like to understand the inner workings of things too and that's why I like project management within eCommerce. I like how I can see what the developers are doing and then how that translates onto the front end of the site.
why do you think tech has the reputation for being a more male-dominated career path?
After finishing school, I realised that I wasn’t shown all the different career paths I could have gone down with the subjects I had chosen. The school subjects that are male-dominated end up being the careers that are male-dominated. There is a flaw in the system of not showing young people what careers they can get into with their skills.
Today, we have the chance to be telling young girls and women that they could be part of a team managing the development of the next big app like Instagram or TikTok. That’s inspiring. There are so many different things that you can do.
what advice would you give to women who are just starting in tech?
Work out what you're passionate about and then look into tech in that area or industry and don't be afraid to ask questions. I ask so many questions! In my first six months, I inundated all the developers with questions because I wanted to learn as much as I could. Tech is always changing and there are new apps and different functionality to constantly learn about. So yes, find out what you’re passionate about and head that way.
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.
