The experience of being a woman in high tech has been one that evolved throughout my career,†says Limor Bakal, executive vice president, business and marketing operations at CTERA, as she discusses the nuances that women need to navigate on their path to success and the need for innovation going forward.
Having worked in various leadership positions over the past 20 years, from serving as an officer in the Israeli Defense Forces to working as a senior executive for a global leader in internet security and now at one of the leading cloud and edge computing solution providers, Bakal provides interesting insights we can all learn from.Â
What Made My Journey Unique?Â
In the early days of my career in high tech, I was able to grow to a position where I managed a diverse international team and covered a broad spectrum of business areas, be it sales, marketing, legal, or even HR, if that was required. This exposure to and responsibility for multiple business areas equipped me with context and skillsets that helped me reach high management positions fast and put me in a unique position in the global technology market.Â
It may be the nature of working in tech, where people with particular skill sets occupy positions where they will be called upon to use that expertise, but my own experience was very much broad and unique. I mainly managed men (and some women) of various ages and cultural backgrounds and could go anywhere and be treated with the respect my position demanded. I realize that this is not the norm for so many women and that gender issues remain unsolved even today, including respectful treatment and equal pay. But for me, I feel as though with a combination of skills and luck, I could push on that glass ceiling, and it would lift a little when I needed it.
See More: 6 Women in Tech on How To Close the Gender Pay Gap in the Industry
The Nuances of Work-life Balance
Once I decided to have a family, my notion of work-life balance was difficult to maintain. I found that work took as much of my time as before, and that was untenable as a new mother. There were not enough hours in the day to properly maintain both my work and family life to the level of expectations that I set for myself. In short, I felt I could not be the best at both simultaneously. I, therefore, decided to bring balance back to my life by taking control of it.Â
I created a work paradigm for myself and brought that to the companies I met. Again, my experience and reputation allowed me to dictate the content and scope of work I’d be doing, ensuring I would have the flexibility to meet work deadlines and spend time with my young family. It was not always easy, and there was much compromising to do. Some positions started as flexible but became demanding over time and impossible to maintain. There were many times when I was debating within myself whether to stay or leave – should I get sucked back into the high-tech fast pace, which I loved, or do I need to step back so that my family life remains intact? At that point in my career and life, it was paramount to me to be home enough to interact with my children meaningfully. Ultimately, I did continue to work but at a slower pace – to me, it seemed like I was taking a break from the demanding technology world that I was so familiar with and loved.Â
Paving the Path With Innovation
I like building, creating, innovating and working with people, so over time, as my children became more independent, I slowly steered myself to the work environments I was familiar with. My experiences with multiple disciplines such as field recruiting, sales and go-to-market strategy were still relevant and appealing. Again, I was lucky to be found and not have to look around or compromise in my search – and this is where I am today.Â
In my current role, I can draw on my experience from a number of areas. What I found that had changed over time was that the idea of a flexible work schedule in tech was evolving. With the advent of technology that supported remote work better than it ever had before, it was easier to create a schedule that had been imperative to me just a few years prior.Â
See More: 3 Ways the Pandemic Can Change the Conversation for Women in Tech
Leading with PassionÂ
I have always kept up with the advancement of technology, which has helped me keep my skill set and experience current and in demand. Just like I was fortunate to be at the right time of the inception of the internet, I now found myself in another evolution – the cloud evolution. Cloud adoption created more data centers, and enterprises trusted their data to live off-site more and more. Solutions that could make the cloud easily accessible, help it grow with those that needed it and keep it secure were right in my wheelhouse. Market education and early adoption were right up my sleeve, and I found the right place for me.
I have been a woman in tech since my working days began. As we approach International Women’s Day and as a woman who defined her career in this sector, I can say that my experience has been filled with times of success and times when the only answer for me was to step back and re-evaluate my priorities and consider what I was going to do next. I always had a good grasp of the need for constant innovation and progress to ensure technology is always meeting the needs of its end-users and that it is always one step ahead of the competition. In many ways, I see how my career path mirrors that of the technological revolution – with its ups and downs but also with a constant forward momentum.
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