Movers and Shakers: Justine Chen, Senior Manager, SunGard Consulting Services

Welcome to The Glass Hammer’s “Women in Tech” month! We will be celebrating successful women in technology all month long!

Justine Chen, senior manager at SunGard Consulting Services is deeply committed to getting more women interested in technology careers. Through her current role, Chen participates in a lot of community outreach and as a result, she took a particular interest in the organization, Girl Develop It, which offers courses for women who want to learn technical skills.

“I made a connection at GDI who introduced me to the film, Girl Rising, a documentary about the education of girls in several developing countries,” explained Chen, who organized screenings of the film at many SunGard offices in honor of International Women’s Day.

“This collaboration has been so rewarding and it is an empowering feeling to be involved with spreading a positive message about technology to young women and girls across the globe,” Chen said.

Career Path

Chen grew up in Taiwan and moved to Canada after high school. She explained that in Taiwan the education system requires students entering senior high school to declare an area of study. Chen had always been drawn to logic and problem solving, so naturally these interests pointed her in the direction of engineering. “This was the first step toward my career in technology,” said Chen, who continued to study engineering when she was at university in Canada.

After graduating from college, Chen accepted a position at a traditional engineering consulting firm working on a system that would commission commuter ferries in Washington. While Chen enjoyed this experience, she sought a role that would give her the opportunity to interact more with the public as opposed to focusing so much on back end developing.

“This put me at a crossroads early on in my career where I had to decide to pursue opportunities on the East coast or stay on the West coast. Ultimately, I was drawn to the East coast and started working as a java developer for a search company right as the internet was becoming extremely popular,” Chen explained.

As a result of the increasing popularity of the web, companies were looking to design more interactive and dynamic websites. Chen, who found herself in the right place at the right time, was asked if she wanted to learn the programming languages that were emerging at the time. “I entered that field and I have been working on web technologies ever since,” Chen noted.

According to Chen, the changes within the web technologies field that have taken place over the last few years have created such a dynamic environment offering opportunities for people from all walks of life. In the past, she explained, web technologies primarily attracted computer science majors. Now, more and more people entering the field are self-taught programmers and developers who are bringing an entirely different skill set to the table.

Selected as SunGard’s rising star for the Women’s Bond Club in2013, Chen continues to make significant contributions in her current role as a senior manager at SunGard Consulting Services. “In addition to my daily responsibilities, I am working on a new business solution through SunGard Consulting Services solution proposal competition held each year that encourages us to think outside the box,” said Chen.

“I have always loved innovating and developing new ideas,” Chen added, “and I am so grateful for the opportunity to express my entrepreneurial side at SunGard.”

Tipping the Scales of Gender Equality

The percentage of women in technical roles is not as high as she would hope, Chen indicated, but this is something that is in the process of changing as more companies are recognizing the value of having a female’s perspective, input, and point of view. “We need to utilize as many different approaches as possible in technology in order to arrive at the best solutions,” Chen added.

According to Chen, finding a common ground in the work styles of men and women in the technology space is a key factor to attracting women, but more importantly to retaining women. “There can be a communication barrier since women tend to be more verbal and collaborative in nature and the technology field sometimes allows people to stay in their own world and not interact very much with their colleagues,” she explained.

One of the biggest pressures women in technology face early on in their career, Chen said, is the overwhelming feeling that you have to go above and beyond in order to prove yourself. “You have to work hard,” Chen advised, “but you cannot be afraid of putting yourself out there and taking the initiative even if it results in failure.”

She added, “This includes having the courage to negotiate your salary, ask for a promotion, or request to work on a special assignment. If you doubt yourself, you risk missing out on opportunities that can impact the direction of your career.” Chen encourages women to believe in themselves, have confidence in their abilities, and try not to create internal obstacles that impede their career advancement.

“Trust your ability and don’t second guess yourself,” Chen said.

The Power of Mentors for Women in Tech

Chen credits her mentor and director manager with helping her tremendously by continually being available to offer support, and guidance and knowledge sharing throughout her career at SunGard. “Mentoring is a great way to share experiences because odds are that someone more senior than you has encountered the same problem or situation you are facing and they can provide such a valuable perspective and help you overcome the hurdle,” she added.

When it comes to mentoring, Chen noted, gender is irrelevant. She encourages young women in technology to establish a diverse group of mentors that includes both men and women. “You can never stop learning from someone else and you don’t want to limit yourself when it comes to gaining knowledge from those more senior than yourself,” she advised.

Outside the Office

Chen seizes the opportunity to travel as much as possible in her spare time. “My husband and I both love to discover new foods and explore local cultures,” she said. Chen also enjoys supporting her husband in his venture of creating the first Thai food and cultural festival in New York City.

By Michelle Hendelman