For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code. Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript. We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/greaterthancode)
212: Diversify Tech with Veni Kunche
01:17 - Veni’s Superpower: Being Adaptable and Not Giving Up
02:25 - Going From Coder to Entrepreneur
07:00 - Being Protective and Selective of Company Partnerships
- Vetting Companies
- Glassdoor
- Talking to Underrepresented Folx at Companies to Ask for Feedback
14:05 - Changes Veni Has Seen Over Time re: Hiring Around Diversity and Inclusion
15:38 - Things Hiring Managers Should and Should NOT Do When Hiring for Diversity
- Look at Metrics
- Rethink Job Description Requirements
- Revisit Your Interview Process
19:13 - Entry-Level Support
21:50 - Upholding Integrity > Capitalism
25:48 - Revenue Transparency
32:13 - Finding Your Place in Tech and Serving Underrepresented People
- Filtering Out Companies
- Guidelines
- Next Steps
- Giving Company Feedback and Direction
- Company Culture
51:29 - Being Vocal About Work Conditions; i.e.: “Whistleblowing” / Employee Dissent
Reflections:
John: The critical role that organizations like Diversify Tech have created by placing themselves in a trusted position between job seekers and companies to protect underrepresented minorities.
Rein: All Veni’s work developing rubrics and intuitions about companies that are worth working for/with is extremely important and her sharing this expertise is very valuable.
Veni: To learn more about how comfortable candidates/employees feel about talking about dissent within their organizations.
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Special Guest: Veni Kunche.
Sponsored By:
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