Life

The Website Helping Working Moms Get Tech Jobs

by Emma Cueto

It's no secret that the American workforce doesn't tend to be set up with women in mind — something which is often particularly true in the tech world. But a website called PowerToFly that helps moms find tech jobs is hoping to change that. The site lists job openings in tech companies that would allow employees to work remotely, and was created with working mothers in mind. Can you say brilliant idea?

The site was founded by Katharine Zaleski and Milena Berry, both of whom are mothers themselves. They are both all too familiar with the ways in which women struggle to balance their work and home life after having kids. As Zaleski explained to Wired, “There are two bad choices for women: go back to the office full-time or slowly lose your career because you can’t go back to the office full-time."

The thing is, though, that in an age of modern technology, people really don't need to work from the office. Working remotely is so easy. Like, really easy. In fact, I'm working remotely as I write this. I use it as a great excuse never to change out of my pajamas before noon. But for lots of working moms, working remotely is a way to both parent and keep up a career in a way you wouldn't be able to if you had to go into the office every day.

Plus, working from home is just great.

Oddly enough, though, given that it is technology that makes this glorious magic possible, the tech industry is surprisingly resistant to people working remotely — which can make it hard for women for whom working outside the office is the best option to actually find such a job. Even working mom Marissa Mayer, the CEO of Yahoo, apparently takes a dim view of working from home; in fact, she actually ended the company's work from home policy, explaining that people are "more collaborative and innovative when they’re together."

Of course, people who can't afford the same childcare options that a CEO can would probably tell you that people are most productive when they're able to work at all. But I digress.

The point is that lots of women in tech struggle to find jobs that they can work while still being moms, which is where PowerToFly comes in. Since the site launched in August, over 10,000 women have registered an applied for jobs, though the website hasn't released numbers on how many have landed those jobs.

Zaleski and Berry are pitching it as an easy way for tech companies to fix their skewed gender dynamics now, not further down the road. “You hear these guys talk education, education, education,” Zaleski said. “Well, that’s 10 years out. Why not invest in the women who are here now?”

Here, here!

Image: Giphy