We are Favor: Sylvia

At Favor, we believe careers are a journey, not a destination. In this series, we’re celebrating our team members and the unique paths that led them to Favor.?

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting Sylvia Jonon, Software Engineer I. Read on to find out about Sylvia’s path to Favor, from taking a risk with a career change to finding her footing as a woman in tech.

Tell us about your career path and how you landed at Favor.

I did not take what you might consider a traditional route into tech. After college, I went to work for a large, national healthcare nonprofit focused on supporting cancer patients. Most of my time there was spent working in quality assurance for the national call center where I lead a team of quality analysts and coaches. The work, by nature, was incredibly fulfilling. I spent over a decade with the organization–enough time to see me through purchasing my first home, my wedding day, the birth of my daughter, and the death of my father. After all of that time, and after such great life change, I realized I was ready for a [career] change. I had always been very tech oriented and had come to realize I wanted to work in tech. I also wanted to be a role model for my daughter, niece, and their friends. I am a huge supporter of women in STEAM programs, and changing my own career was a way for me to show any girl or woman who will listen to me that you can find your own path to a career in tech (or science, math, engineering, etc). I spent roughly half a year working full-time on learning about different coding languages and technologies. I learned how to build apps from the front end to the back end, and then, with some luck, I landed my first job in tech at a small, established tech company. After two years, I was invited to apply for a job at Favor, and here I am! What is super fun about joining Favor is that I have connections with several colleagues from my previous jobs, one from my nonprofit days and two from my last tech job.

As a kid growing up, what did you want to be when you were older?

When I was younger I always thought I wanted to be a vet or a doctor, and over time that morphed into a psychiatrist or oncologist. But at the end of college, I just could not picture the amount of school and then residency that would be required to realize that dream. And it’s for the best, because now the sight of blood makes me feel like fainting!

Engineering is booming right now! What advice would you give to young female professionals who want to break into the tech space?

Keep running! It’s one of our core values here at Favor, and it’s such an important one for women in tech. Continue learning, growing, and improving your skills. Don’t let a mistake or a rejection for a position get you down. Ask questions and offer to help when you know the answer to someone else’s question. Build a community of people who can support you as you embark on your tech journey.

How does it feel being a woman in a male-dominated industry?

I’ll be honest, it hasn’t always been great. In my short time in tech, I’ve had experiences where a man in the room did not take my ideas seriously and it felt incredibly irritating. But I’ve also had that happen while not in the tech industry; this is unfortunately something that women experience in many careers. I am so grateful to have not experienced this at Favor, nor do I expect to! For any woman, even one not in tech, who feels like they are in a position where their counterparts are dismissing them, I would encourage them to be persistent, keep putting yourself out there, and remember there are always other jobs out there where you will be appreciated for who you are and the contributions you make.

What is one pivotal moment in your career that helped define who you are as a person today?

There isn’t a single moment, but a series of moments. All of the moments that took me from leaving my previous job, to dedicating all of my time to studying so that I could enter a new field, and then actually making that first, real CodeCommit that I received a paycheck for! Career changes aren’t for everyone (it can be incredibly hard!), but once you’ve done it, there’s nothing that feels as good or shows you how strong you are.

Who are some iconic women that you look up to?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, of course! She was a complete inspiration. Mary Blair as well (the iconic Disney artist). Both were incredibly smart, talented, and amazing leaders in male-dominated industries. I am also lucky enough to have four amazing sisters and a tight group of female friends who are inspiring and supportive. Last but not least, Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith’s character in Downton Abbey). I probably won’t ever be able to say this, but I can certainly strive to get to a point in my life where I can ask, “What is a weekend?”

Want to make Favor the next step in your career journey? Check out our open positions at favordelivery.com/careers .