Advice from CDW Women
As part of our Together - The Power of Women in IT campaign, we asked CDW women: what advice would you share with women interested in or pursuing a career in technology? From coworkers in Sales to Integrated Technology Solutions to our Distribution Center, here’s what they had to share:
“Don't be afraid to take chances. Being a female in technology and at CDW, we bring a lot of great ideas, thoughts and energy to the table. Don't be afraid to do so. It's an exciting industry and it's always changing.”
- Kim Maziarka, Account Manager - SCC Partner
“Be a bit bolder to ensure your voice is being heard. And if you're worried about not knowing everything or not being the subject matter expert in that particular field, everything is constantly changing and moving forward. There's always an opportunity for new people to come in and to pursue those fields and to become the experts in those areas.”
- Sarah Gallatin, Manager - Distribution Support
“Do not give up. Make sure you hold your ground, make your stance and follow through on what you say. People sometimes test women to see if they really will make it through or if they really do have the guts and the skills, but as long as you follow through on what you say, you will come out as a star and successful.”
- Parita Kanevskiy, Program Manager - Product & Partner Management
“Jump right in. This field is one that is so exciting. It is changing every single day and it really impacts people's lives. Technology changes how organizations work with their customers. Technology changes how healthcare providers serve their patients. We’re impacting the way people live their lives. And to be able to be a part of an industry that's ever changing that has real impact is something that I find exciting. So, my advice is jump right in, find a great mentor and don't look back.”
- Katrina Williams, Director - Integrated Technology Solutions Capability
“Embrace technology and its complexities with an open mind. Be ready to bring your curiosity and investment in time.“
- Charlotte Lewis, Senior Manager - Business Process Transformation Solutions
“Don’t underestimate what you can do and what impact you can have across your team and the organization. Our largest roadblocks are the perceptions we have of ourselves, and this affects our ability to achieve our goals. Be your biggest cheerleader!”
- Seli Cerda, Manager - DevOps Engineering
“Surprise someone every day. This philosophy has been good to me, and earned me praise and respect from the people with whom I work. Information Technology can be uniquely challenging in its unpredictability. So when I am working on a difficult problem and get to a point I just have to take a break, I will go on the hunt for a surprise project. Maybe I will dig through my old emails and find something to follow up on, or maybe I'll take a few minutes to read an article that someone else shared with me, then give them feedback. Or maybe I will follow up on a project that closed months prior just to make sure everything is still working as expected. I love to hear back from someone who wasn't expecting this check-in, but I love it even more when they mention some small thing that takes me just a few minutes to fix, so I can go back to my "roadblock" project feeling invincible.”
- Anne O’Day, Senior Systems Engineer
We are better together.
CDW is committed to diversity and inclusion and empowering women to pursue a career in technology. We believe in the power of people. When we collaborate together, we build stronger coworkers and better teams who deliver the best results. Learn more at cdw.com/Together.
CDW Women
