DataDome Joins the Ranks of Great Places to Work 2024!
Imagine having a seasoned professional in your corner, cheering you on, offering guidance, and helping you navigate the exciting yet sometimes daunting world of tech. This isn't a dream—it's the power of mentorship!
This year, DataDome took a significant step towards empowering women in tech by launching a pilot mentorship program in collaboration with Fireside, an organization dedicated to propelling women's success in the tech industry. This article dives deep into the program's impact, featuring insights from DataDome employees and participants Sarah, Konstantina, Rym, and Soraya.
We'll explore the importance of mentorship in the tech sphere, along with practical tips for creating a thriving mentorship relationship that fosters mutual growth for both mentor and mentee.
Ever heard of “fake it ‘til you make it”? Many of us have heard the phrase, often when you’re doubting your own ability to reach a certain goal or expectation. Imposter syndrome settles in the back of most peoples’ minds, as about 70% of people will experience it in their lifetime.
Building confidence in yourself can come in many forms, including mentorship. The act of sharing your own lived experience and professional learnings can be mutually beneficial, as was the case for Sarah, Operations Manager on the Infrastructure team.
I believe that we, as women in tech, often encounter a range of challenging situations. Sharing these experiences can help put things into perspective and build self-confidence.
When I spoke with Felana, I quickly realized that I had faced the same doubts and fears she was experiencing. Letting her know that I had been through similar situations reassured her and made her feel more at ease. Felana is beginning a five-month training program and is already in talks with companies about a future contract.
Rym, Engineering Manager on the Infrastructure team, faced the same challenges and self-doubts as Sarah at one point. Today, she leads a team of four DevOps engineers. Throughout her three-plus years with DataDome, Rym has steadily and progressively refined her managerial skills and communication to become the leader she set out to be:
Work can be challenging, but when you are a minority, you can face even more obstacles in establishing yourself. I wasn't the problem but the solution. This pushed me to assert myself more, set boundaries, and step into spaces where I wasn't expected. That's why I decided to engage in this program: to provide my mentee with the support I lacked. I also wanted to share my experiences, offer her tips, and save her time so she can focus on what's important: tackling technical challenges.
When it comes to taking the leap from inspiration to action, mentorship can be a challenge. Konstantina, Staff Data Scientist and four-year veteran at DataDome has over a dozen presentations under her belt, but admits that mentorship was a new type of challenge to take on.
Joining the Fireside mentorship program straight back from parental leave, Konstantina demonstrated that mentorship goes beyond a sense of responsibility or obligation, describing it as a mindset to develop:
A mentoring session is not a time to show off, but rather to try to think of similar situations that you overcame. I see mentorship as a mindset, rather than a responsibility. Show up without judgment, favor transparency and open communication.
Echoing Konstantina in her trajectory, Soraya, VP of Account Management at DataDome for the past three years, is a strong supporter of a partnership when it comes to mentorship.
For me, a strong mentorship centers around clear expectations and actionable feedback. Being a mentor centers around four key principles such as curiosity in helping others, mindfulness in challenging situations, steering expectations of the outcomes of a mentorship and, finally, offering consistent encouragement. I have found that this framework sustains a productive mentorship experience tailored to the mentee’s needs and aspirations.
At the end of all these shared experiences, feelings, and even challenges, the bottom line is that mentorship can truly be beneficial for all levels of experience. As the official sponsor at DataDome for the mentorship program with Fireside, CTO Gilles Wabrou shares his thoughts on the overall experience of mentorship and strides for other tech companies to take note:
Mentorship programs like those at DataDome serve a dual purpose: they develop internal talent, enhancing the company's external visibility and reputation, while also promoting diverse role models within the broader tech community.
To foster a culture of mentorship, companies must integrate it into their core values and talent development processes. This involves actively encouraging knowledge sharing and expertise exchange at all levels. It's crucial for companies like DataDome to allow their top talents to share their expertise: this contributes to overcoming their imposter syndrome by boosting their confidence. By making mentorship a fundamental part of their organizational culture, companies can create a more collaborative, innovative, and supportive environment that benefits individual employees, the organization as a whole, and the wider tech ecosystem.
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