Sometimes I see some really interesting research in the press. But other times I just see something that’s a little harder to believe, which is interesting for all the wrong reasons! One of those is a press release entitled “women ‘clueless about technology’” which was brought to my attention today – a PR stunt to cause controversy and grab attention if ever I’d seen one!
 
Apparently 55% think women are clueless when it comes to technology – but that means that around half don’t! The survey also says that the majority of people would ask a man for technical advice. Is this really a big surprise? The whole reason womenintechnology exists is because there is a distinct lack of women in technical roles and we’re trying to improve this – it’s no big revelation that there are far more men in the industry.
 
A spokesperson from the company who carried out the survey – TechGuys (again – surprise) – was quoted as saying “We are an equal opportunities employer, and always on the lookout for female TechGuys as we know that some of our customers may feel more comfortable letting a woman into their home, but it’s rare that we ever receive an application from a woman.” As a woman in the technology field, I know how challenging it can be for women to work in very male dominated environments. So why would a female technology professional apply to an organisation whose name suggests females aren’t really welcome?
 
They say that all publicity is good publicity but I’m not so sure, as this survey plus the company’s name is not doing much for their reputation as an equal opportunities employer. It’s surveys like this that are hindering women being seen as serious technology professionals.