I spoke in a conference organized by the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology. My talk was: "What Can Hi-Tech Companies Do to Hire and Retain More Women?" As former COO of she codes; and with my current role in Soluto I was blessed to be exposed to so many female engineers who are my inspiration for this talk. I hope these slides will be useful for whoever wants to see more women in meaningful roles.

1. What Can Hi-Tech Companies
Do to Hire and Retain More
Women?

2. About Shir Peri
Former
COO at She Codes
</ >
Current
Developer Relations at:
@shirperi
shir@soluto.com

3. ● 30,000+ community members
● 35 branches nationwide
● Branches in hi-tech and universities
● Activity in Arab, Druze and Ultra Orthodox communities
● 20 million-shekel joint project with the Government of Israel
● ~600 job placements in 2018
● Collaborations with hi-tech companies such as: Google, IBM, Cisco, Wix, Microsoft

4. By combining awareness with simple practices
we can turn existing potential into a quality
workforce.

5. Current Status
Women make up 51% of the population, and yet...
51% 34% of STEM
students
24% of core
hi-tech workers
15% of
developers

6. Do women want to be in hi-tech?

7. Do women want to be in hi-tech?

8. Do women want to be in hi-tech?

9. Do women want to be in hi-tech?

10. Do women want to be in hi-tech?

11. Do women want to be in hi-tech?

12. Hiring Retention

13. Hiring

14. 1) In job posts, put only what you must, and eliminate nice-to-haves. Women tend to
apply only when they have 100% qualification, men 60%.
Reaching potential candidates
Senior software engineer Full Stack Developer
Build Create
Avoid: strong, dynamic Avoid: long bullet points
Hiring

15. 2) Stop using hero, ninja, superstar and other similar adjectives.
HiringReaching potential candidates

16. Server Side NINJA Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Strong understanding of Web Infrastructure such as Load Balancers,
Web Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Highly motivated team player and quick learner
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com

17. Server Side NINJA Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Strong understanding of Web Infrastructure such as Load Balancers,
Web Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Highly motivated team player and quick learner
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com

18. Server Side NINJA Champion Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Strong understanding of Web Infrastructure such as Load Balancers,
Web Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Highly motivated team player and quick learner
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com

19. Server Side NINJA Champion Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Strong understanding of Web Infrastructure such as Load Balancers,
Web Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Highly motivated team player and quick learner
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com

20. Server Side Champion Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Good understanding of Web Infrastructure such as Load Balancers, Web
Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Highly motivated team player and quick learner
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com

21. Server Side Champion Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change will impact the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Good understanding Strong understanding of Web Infrastructure such
as Load Balancers, Web Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication Superb interpersonal skills skills, both written
and verbal
- Highly motivated team player great teammate and quick learner self
starter
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com

22. Server Side Champion Developer?
Ping us!
Description: XXX, A funded stratup company is looking for a server side
developer to join our amazing team.
We are young and agile and we are building an amazing product which
will change will impact the way of social information consumption.
Responsibilities:
- Develop server side for the product (Python, Django)
- Research and implement new technologies
- Research and implement algorithms for User Profiling and
Content-Based Filtering - collaborative filtering, NLP, classification and
clustering
- Lead scoping, development planning and technical architecture
- Ensure technical and product quality
Requirements:
- At least 3 years hands-on development experience
- At least 1 year of experience with Python
- At least 2 years of experience with MySQL and MongoDB
- Good understanding Strong understanding of Web Infrastructure such
as Load Balancers, Web Servers, DB Servers, Caches and Search Engines
- Experience with cross-platform development
- Experience with TDD and agile methodologies
- Experience with AWS or GAE
Advantages:
- Experience with Django
- Experience with Classification and Clustering algorithms
- Experience with NLP
Desired Skills:
- Excellent communication Superb interpersonal skills skills, both written
and verbal
- Highly motivated team player great teammate and quick learner self
starter
If you think you've got what it's takes to join our success story, ping us.
xxx@xxxxxx.com
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our
company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color,
national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran
status, or disability status.

24. 3) Actively search for women - don’t wait for the CVs to come on their own
HiringReaching potential candidates

25. 4) Block out names from CVs, and use other tools to prevent bias.
“Heidi and Howard experiment”
HiringReaching potential candidates

26. ● Have a female interviewer
● Don’t have 2 male interviewers for one woman (at least in the first interview)
● If there’s no woman interviewer: walk through the office where there are women
1) Seeing is believing...
HiringInterview phase

27. 2) Avoid asking questions that are prohibited by law.
HiringInterview phase

28. 3) Offer equal salary to professionals with similar roles and experience, even if one
asks for less.
HiringInterview phase

29. Retention

30. ● Blunt speech, porn, sexist jokes
● Credit – make sure to give it, and that nobody else takes it from others
RetentionZero tolerance towards aggressive behaviour

31. RetentionWork-Life Balance

32. - Women work-life balance → People work-life balance
- Flexible work hours
- Parental leave for both men and women
- Flexibility in hard times
RetentionWork-Life Balance

33. RetentionWomen Forums

34. Above all...
Awareness

35. By combining awareness with simple practices
we can turn existing potential into a quality
workforce.

36. Thank you!
@shirperi
shir@soluto.com