Noemí Hernández Guerrero (Mexico, 36 years old) seeks to break barriers. “Technology can open the doors to absolutely everything,” says the director of customer success at Salesforce, a technology company founded in San Francisco that has been recognized as one of the most innovative companies in the world. The best company to work for in EuropeUnited States and Mexico. Her career in the STEM field is inspiring, especially when you take the statistics into account. According to the UNESCOthe global average rate of women in engineering, science and technology is only 29.3%, and only 35% of students in higher education in these fields are women.
The Mexican IT expert has just become a mother and reflects on the challenges she has faced as a woman in a global environment, the persistent wage gap and the importance of having a solid support network. From combating climate change, encouraging women to occupy management positions in international companies, being a trigger that contributes to the social mobility of families living in rural areas of the State of Hidalgo —where she is from— or motherhood, Hernández Guerrero can do it all. Her voice has a virtue that many pursue: strength and determination to get ahead.
Ask. What inspired you to enter the world of technology?
Answer. It was my dad. He specialized in computer science, and in a country like Mexico, where that area was quite new, I had the opportunity to have access to someone who had studied that career. But to be honest, my interest was also due to the fact that I noticed that my dad could come home to eat with us every day. I said: “I want that job that seems like they do nothing, but my dad says they do a lot.”
Then, while watching TV shows about the impact of technology on climate change and the study of animals, I began to realise the potential this discipline had to address issues that I was passionate about. It was then that I thought that if I wanted to do something related to zoology and the environment, technology would open the doors to absolutely everything.
P. Historically, the technology field has presented challenges for women aspiring to develop a professional career. Who inspired you to continue forward?
R. For me, a role model My grandmother Raquel. My family comes from a macho culture, and I am part of the first generation of women who managed to complete a university degree. I grew up in a time when my parents and uncles had the opportunity to study, while women dedicated themselves to serving them. However, my grandmother always reminded me that I had other opportunities, and insisted that “education and values were the only things that would open doors for me in this life.”
P. How did you end up serving as Director of Customer Success at Salesforce?
R. I studied Information Technology Management, where I had the opportunity to get to know Salesforce in the first semesters. After several years implementing this technology on the client side, I had the opportunity to join the company at a time when they were looking for people with experience to help customers in the region.
I currently lead a team of people in Mexico that serves accounts in the United States and Latin America. My role is to guide this team to ensure that they understand the needs of their clients, achieve business objectives with them, and get the most out of both the services and products they have purchased.
P. What difficulties have you faced as a woman in the technology field?
R. One of the most important challenges is the disparity of opportunities. Although many companies talk about their values, few put them into practice. Today there are several women working in these spaces, but their presence in leadership roles and decision-making remains limited.
Another challenge is the wage gap. Women are generally not paid the same as men for similar work, and this is partly because we do not have the confidence to negotiate higher salaries.
P. Why don’t women apply for tech jobs?
R. In the field of engineering, science and technology, it is still difficult to see women occupying strategic positions because there are not enough female candidates to fill those positions and, from my point of view, two factors influence this. Firstly, we are not actively encouraging women to choose careers in technology and science. It is not a question of imposition, but of providing options and opportunities. Personally, I was lucky enough to have a role model in the technological field, but what happens if you do not have that role model? Who is your reference? If there are no close examples, how can you aspire to something that you do not even know exists? It is essential to share inspiring examples and create a culture that encourages diversity in these fields.
Secondly, we need to address imposter syndrome. Women are often intimidated by the fear of not measuring up or being perceived as imposters in male-dominated environments. It is crucial to overcome this fear and break away from limiting perceptions. By changing our stance on these challenges, we can move towards greater inclusion and diversity in the world of technology.
P. How can you combat impostor syndrome?
R. Working on myself. For years, I cared about other people: my team at work, my family, my husband and my daughters. But there came a time when I lost sight of what was most important: me. It was then that I understood that I needed to work on my own development so that I could continue supporting, growing and strengthening those I love. When I realized that I was sacrificing my personal well-being for the well-being of others, I decided to invest time and effort in getting to know myself better.
I also took coaching sessions, mentoring sessions, and had a sponsor. This helped me a lot in my professional career to set short, medium, and long-term goals. All of this, combined with therapy, to get to know myself and understand where I am, what frustrates me, and where I am going, made me feel much more confident in each step I take in life. These decisions have allowed me to continue with my purpose of generating a positive impact in the lives of others through my experiences and knowledge.
P. As a mother, what advice would you give to women who want to develop professionally and at the same time become mothers?
R. I firmly believe that it is possible to balance motherhood with professional growth, but the key lies in having a solid support system. The idea of being a superwoman It is something we need to get out of our heads. It is important to remember that every woman plays multiple roles in life, not only as workers, but also as daughters, sisters, cousins, friends and of course, mothers. Finding a perfect balance between all these roles can prove difficult and even impossible. For me, family has always been my top priority, although work also plays a significant role and when you manage to align your work with your purpose and priorities, that is when you find true satisfaction.
My main piece of advice would be to “make sure you have a strong support system. Whether it’s your partner, family, friends, or even outside help, it’s critical to have people you can rely on to help you through this journey of motherhood and career.” The reality is that taking on the responsibility of being a mother and working at the same time can be overwhelming, and it’s important to recognize that you don’t have to do it alone.
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