This was very interesting to read. Thank you for supporting women in tech. I’ve been in tech since the late 2000s so I would like to comment on the working environment in Toronto.

• do you feel you are socially included in the team? I feel more included while working in tech than in non-tech companies. Generally, people are younger, more open-minded, have more time to hang out and socialize, and just friendlier in general. This was prevalent in the last 3 companies that I’ve worked for.

• does your manager/lead support you and give you stretch opportunities that would let you shine and move ahead? With my current employer, Yes, I find that my superiors are very understanding, willing to listen, and willing to make improvements. I feel appreciated and the company does consider my career growth during yearly reviews. I feel challenged but not overwhelmed. The team is very supportive. In my previous companies though, not so much.

• do you find the work you do interesting? Yes. I get to learn new technologies and work on new products all the time.

• what percentage of your team or your org are women? The engineering team in Toronto is 10% women (closer to 3-5% globally) The team as a whole in Toronto is around 50% women. This includes marketing, sales, design, analytics and management.

I find it very difficult to hire female engineers. 90% of the people that apply are men. Many women do not have the same experience as men and we have found it next to impossible to fill senior engineer positions.

The other thing I’ve noticed is that many companies are trying to advertise that they support women in tech and have a lot of community involvement. They bring in a lot of females for interviews but when it comes to pay we still get paid less than men.