Women in Tech: Take Your Career to the Next Level with Practical Advice and Inspiring Stories Hardcover – March 29, 2016

This is a must read for every woman in tech, at least if you have even the slightest bit of interest in improving your career ;)Tarah's style of writing is captivating and not only does she know her way around in the tech world, she is determined to help women in tech and help us get represented more equally. The book is a mixture of stories from the writer but also other women in tech, and advice on how to improve your career and even become a leader/ start your own business in tech. As a woman in tech myself I am very excited to get more involved in growing the tech world to one that is friendlier towards women and has more women involved. We are convinced this will also help tech in general.I loved this book from beginning to end and it certainly helped me get even more excited about tech and decide what my next steps will be. (btw I am also in the process of founding a startup)I bought the audible version. Tarah narrated the book herself and she did a great job there as well!

As a relative newcomer to the technical workforce (specifically game development), this book has been a godsend. I've recommended it to both women and men who are starting off in the industry, as it's one of the better career development books I've come across.I first read this book over the course of a few days, and often return to reference particular sections as I need them. This book has detailed instructions and advice for individuals in all stages of a tech career, from getting your foot in the door to salary negotiation to starting your own company. It's particularly no-nonsense, and doesn't shy away from insisting that you be able to back up your networking with a strong understanding of your field or discipline. If you're willing to work hard, this book will help you do so in a smart way that lays the groundwork for success in the future.The personal essays included from contributors across the industry are wonderful. I didn't follow a "traditional" career path into tech and sometimes feel like an outsider to the industry. The impressive women who contributed to this book have a variety of backgrounds, interests, and experiences, and you'll likely find a mirror of your own experience in one of theirs.

What is a word that means the exact opposite of ham-fisted? Finessed? Elegant?Tarah's book presents a smorgasbord of stories for and by women in tech in an elegant and conversational way. There’s no talk of your archetypical trash-talking savant haxx0r chick or *cringe* the awkward bumbling wallflower girl who just wants everyone to leave her alone. This is a grown ass book for grown ass women in all stages of their tech careers – filled with positive, tangible advice.I loved reading this because while it made me see bits of myself in some of the shared experiences, it also showed me that I am massively different from the women in the book. Everyone is. We all have our stories to share that are simultaneously relatable and unfathomable to others.Tarah takes those aspects of people’s experiences, adds her knowledge and expertise, and distills them into concrete lessons…then encourages the hell out of you! My copy is now covered in post-its and notes on passages I will revisit throughout my career, whenever I need a little non-nonsense guidance. I’d recommend this book to anyone!

I got this as a Technical Recruiter so I could understand what women in technology (particularly software development) were going through and the materials they read. As a Technical Recruiter some advise made me cringe- like making your resume 8+ pages. Don't do that. Bad idea. When I see a resume that's 8+ pages I have to force myself not to move on. Others might just move on.... Everything else was great!! I enjoyed reading the stories that they provided from real women and real people about real experiences.

Started reading the first chapter as soon as I got the book. Put it down to go order a copy for a friend/recent graduate. I’ve started writing this review before finishing the book. Why? I’m just that excited about it.First off, I almost never finish reading non-fiction books. I get bored easily and, once I’ve got the general gist of a book, I skip to the next shiny object. But this book is full of shiny objects.I’m out of the tech world. I’m an academic now and I don’t anticipate ever needing to get a job in the real world again. However, there’s great advice here for *everyone.* You don’t have to be a woman or looking for a tech job to learn from how to do a better job of personal branding or communicating or…really any part of work life.When I’m done with the book, I’m handing it off to my husband. He’s a <man in tech>, he’s not 20 years old any more, and he can use the tips and tricks in this book both for himself and for supporting any underrepresented minority.What I love. Tarah has a blunt writing style. I love that. Some may not. To me, her style is very matter-of-fact, cut-to-the-chase and definitely-not-sugar-coated. YMMV, but I’ve always found it easier to work with people with this approach. Now, being blunt is not the same as being rude; Tarah is respectful of different personalities and needs. If you want no-nonsense advice for navigating the world of tech work, you’ll find it here.What I don’t love. I’m not super fond of the contributed stories – the bios. I’m having a hard time articulating why I have a problem with this. Initially I thought I could do without any of them. But then I read Katie Cunningham’s contribution – that one resonates with me for some reason. Maybe I can’t relate to the earlier stories. Maybe it’s the academic in me getting all caught up with the bias of only having stories from women who have succeeded. Maybe it’s my unconscious (culturally taught) bias against women having the audacity to parade their success. I don’t know. I do know that I’m just one person and while I don’t find these stories inspirational, I do know why they are in the book. Great work. Pick up a copy – share it with everyone. We can all learn.