LinkedIn WIT Newsletter: April 2024

Hey there ?? We are LinkedIn WIT (Women In Tech), an employee-led effort to promote gender balance in technical roles and inspire other companies to do the same.

Welcome to our newsletter! Join us to learn about our feature of the month, discover some posts you may have missed, and catch a sneak peek of our upcoming content for the next quarter!

Featured ?? ??

Happy Women's History Month!

We celebrated the women's history month this past quarter! The 4th Annual Internal WITConnect Conference, led by Women in Tech (WIT) at LinkedIn, celebrated under the theme of "Inspiring Inclusion," marked a significant gathering of minds and ideas on March 13th and 14th.

Industry leaders like Li Fan and Lei Yang shared insights into fostering inclusivity in tech, alongside lightning tech talks showcasing innovation. Beyond social gatherings, the event delved into discussions on imposter syndrome, diversity, and inclusion.

Attendees, speakers, and organizers were thanked for their dedication, with a commitment to carry forward the spirit of the conference into daily work and lives. LinkedIn emphasizes the ongoing effort to build inclusive communities internally and externally.

Here’s What You Missed ????

Spotlight: Swathi Shenoy

Our latest spotlight highlights the journey of Swathi Shenoy , who fueled by a passion for math and Sanskrit, pursued a career in Computer Science Engineering. Initially working as an Android developer at Samsung and later transitioning to Oracle's Cloud Infrastructure, she ultimately found her niche as a Partner Solutions Engineer at LinkedIn.

Emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and skill development, the spotlight showcases the value of pivoting careers to align with personal interests.

Outside of work, she balances motherhood with a love for felines. In her role at LinkedIn, she collaborates across departments to optimize API products, demonstrating the company's commitment to employee development through programs like Women In Tech (WIT). Her key message to the audience advocates embracing diverse career paths.

Career Chats: Katherine Lewis

"Don’t 'learn all the things'. Get good at one thing and then focus on being visible, vocal, and valuable with that one thing."

In our recent career chat , Katherine Lewis shares her journey from teaching to software engineering at LinkedIn, driven by a desire for humanitarian impact.

Supported by her manager, she engages in diverse roles, finding fulfillment in UX engineering and advocacy for accessibility. Her career advice emphasizes mastery in one area and working on meaningful projects, with a focus on visibility and accountability.

Looking ahead, she prioritizes personal fulfillment over traditional markers of success, guided by her values. Off LinkedIn, she enjoys unique hobbies like simultaneous jumping rope and pogo-sticking, along with simple pleasures like chai tea and watching soccer.

Humans of Engineering:

Sandhya Nagarajan

Sandhya's journey to LinkedIn was filled with challenges, from navigating visa restrictions to balancing motherhood with career aspirations. Despite setbacks, she persevered, landing a job at a startup and later at LinkedIn through a unique opportunity. Supported by inclusive colleagues, she now thrives in her role, finding fulfillment in achieving work-life balance while contributing to her team's success, particularly in revolutionizing Trino's deployment stack.

Vivian Poon

Vivian's is a journey of a career-driven engineer who finds herself grappling with the delicate balance between career aspirations and the newfound joys of nurturing her newborn. Initially uncertain about the challenges ahead, she ultimately discovers fulfillment in embracing the complexities of parenthood, prioritizing her baby's growth and well-being while navigating the demands and trade-offs of her professional journey.

Upcoming ?? ??

We have some very exciting articles lined up for the next quarter including Humans of Engineering, interesting career chats and of course the spotlight series!