tms Inclusion & Diversity

Tell us about your experience as a woman in tech. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?

My job as a decision scientist incorporates aspects of both data science and analytics with a business-forward mindset. Being a woman in a STEM field has its trials and tribulations just like every job, but for me, being an introverted woman in tech brings its own challenges.

A challenge I face as a more recent college graduate and an introverted woman is finding the assertiveness to speak up in a field where others are more vocal and being confident in my work. Breaking beyond these barriers can be difficult, especially in a male-dominated field, but through hard work and determination, I am overcoming these challenges. Presenting to internal team members and clients has helped me greatly. It allows me to develop my public speaking skills and be assertive while having confidence in my work. Taking advantage of online public speaking resources and tips for breaking down your walls has been incredibly beneficial, as are my colleagues, who are constantly pushing me to be more confident and finding ways to help me grow so that I can go far in my career as a young woman in a powerful field.

What are your professional goals, and how has tms enabled you to pursue them?

While I’m still relatively new to the workforce, professionally, I aspire to work my way up to a senior level and one day reach a managerial position. At tms, I’m enabled to pursue my goals with the help of yearly goal-setting and creating a five-year plan for my development. Having these goals that I can hold myself accountable towards helps to ensure I’m heading in the right direction. Also, having the chance to discuss my goals and receive feedback from my managers and coworkers helps me better understand my progression.

There are many resources available to us, with online learning like LinkedIn Learning, other online courses and various company-provided templates for career planning. One course that particularly benefited my career progression was the Tableau data analyst exam prep course. This course helped me gain a deeper understanding of Tableau, which I have been able to incorporate into my work. Through all the resources, opportunities and backing from my colleagues, tms provides me with the support I need to progress further in my career.

How does tms celebrate and empower women?

As a company, tms is dedicated to empowering and celebrating women through various initiatives. Two tms groups I am actively involved in are Women in Tech and Women Inspiring and Strengthening Everyone. These groups aim to empower women within tms and foster a supportive community. 

In March, in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, an employee resource group called GENIE hosted a workshop with Reeha Alder on being your true authentic self at work. This workshop was about stepping beyond the walls we build for ourselves when we come to work and being true to who we are. Also during March, WISE set up a Kudoboard for anyone to give a shout-out to the women within the company. This was a great way to recognize all the amazing women at both tms and our affiliate company, HAVI.

WISE and WIT also recently co-hosted a Spark Day for Girl Scouts. This was an event-filled day where Girl Scouts came to the office, networked with professionals and learned about different careers within the industry. I am happy to be part of a company constantly working to recognize and celebrate the women who work hard every day in their careers.