In today’s discussion we’re only scratching the surface of the very present gender gaps women in STEM (and STEAM) careers face from their time in school to the workforce. Meet Najla Elmachtoub, a voice in the industry that serves as a catalyst for change. Najla is the Senior Engineering Manager at Etsy, a one-of-a-kind global online marketplace and community that supports independent makers and creators. Keep on listening to learn more about Najla’s career, her perspective on role models and mentorship, and much more!

Show Notes:

Najla Elmachtoub started her path in STEM in high school studying computer sciences. She is now the Senior Engineering Manager for Etsy (0:40.)

Especially when it comes to tech, Najla found interning at as many diverse programs as possible would provide her the best scope of the industry (2:40.)

To start off each day, Najla finds makes sure to take the time to exercise, meditate, and write before she kicks off her work day (5:30.)

“The fact that I am a woman plays a big part in how I am perceived and some of the opportunities that I was allowing myself to take and others were allowing me to take.”

— Najla Elmachtoub

Najla realizes that sometimes self-depreciation can be the only thing holding her back and that she has the ability to solve any problem (7:40.)

Having a role model especially in the STEM field is so important. Najla found her role model while at Etsy, the VP of Engineering, who really made her feel like she could rise to any challenge (9:05.)

“Being able to provide psychological safety and full transparancy as a leader are the most important aspects to provide people with the trust and space to be themselves and make them feel that they have the ability to do their best work.”

— Najla Elmachtoub

As a leader Najla discovered, it's not about the qualities that you have but rather, how you make others feel (13:00.)

When in the field of STEM it's important to have an advocate and a mentor. It is common to change your domain of expertise and is super important to adapt. Seek out someone who will bring growth opportunities and will fight for your space in a growing company (14:00.)

Outside of reading the New York Times, Najla likes to seek out opportunities to broaden her knowledge. She likes to ask her role models what they are reading to understand what inspires them (15:50.)

“If I am the smartest person in the room, I am in the wrong room.”

— Najla Elmachtoub

One day, Najla aspires to be the CTO or VP of Engineering for a small company but until then she loves managing her team and plans to take things day by day (17:40.)

Follow Najla on Twitter @najtube to stay connected and follow her journey!

Interested in talking with Najla about tech, product engineering, or leadership? You can check out her office hours here.

Thank you readers for tuning into the Brava Podcast. If you like the show please leave a review on iTunes!

What from our conversation inspired you today? What do you hope to hear next? Tweet or message us on Instagram @BravaPodcast to tell us what you want to hear, even if it’s your own story!

What does it take to build talented teams and to grow outstanding companies? Inclusivity, equality, and transparency. Today, I’m thrilled to have Jeesoo Sohn on the Brava Podcast. Jeesoo is a Senior Talent Recruiter for Glossier focusing on managing and leading talent efforts to create the strongest people powered eco system. Prior to Glossier she worked with Pittsburgh’s own Duolingo as their lead recruiter . From today’s conversation you’ll learn how to work towards inclusivity and diversity in the workspace, how to negotiate your way to equal pay and benefits and more!

SHOW NOTES:

Jeesoo has an educational background in…music! She studied music at Carnegie Mellon. In college she learned a little bit more about herself and that while she was passionate about music, she realized that she enjoyed her work at her part-time job in the Office of Admissions (1:57.)

Duolingo’s decision for diversity and inclusivity in the workplace was a natural next step for the team (4:00.)

On why it’s important to have women represented equally in the workplace: “when you have the same type of person you’re going to be making very unilateral decisions that only reflect the values of those people” (5:00.)

“Inclusivity drives diversity.”

— Jeesoo Sohn

Want to practice inclusivity…now? The familiar is a lot more comfortable than the unfamiliar. Be sure to ask questions and genuinely get to know people with different backgrounds than you. Jeesoo suggests to never judge others and that we all probably have much more in common - that is where she leads from (8:02.)

“My first rule when starting a new job? You should ALWAYS negotiate! ”

— Jeesoo Sohn

You need to know what your bottom line is when negotiating. Physically write it down and never stray from that bottom line (10:14.)

Salary is not the only thing you can negotiate when entering a new position. You can negotiate title, sign-on bonuses, re-location and more! Whatever is right for you (12:07.)

Jeesoo is a fantastic planner and it’s one of the best ways she can stay organized to produce the best work-life balance (13:40.)

Jeesoo’s favorite quote? “It’s better to have a whole than an a$$hole.” - Her explanation? “It’s more beneficial for the business and the team to wait for a quality candidate than a quantity candidate.” I couldn’t agree more (16:00.)

Thank you readers, to tuning into the Brava Podcast. If you like the show please leave a review on iTunes!

What from our conversation inspired you today? What do you hope to hear next? Tweet or message us on Instagram @BravaPodcast to tell us what you want to hear, even if it’s your own story!