I 100% believe that it used to be, 20 or 30 years ago. But now just being a woman gets you pulled to the top of the resume pile. I had heard this before and rolled my eyes, "that's bitchy incel talk," "just focus on bettering yourself," I'd think.

I had always been a tech hobbyist spinning my wheels in blue collar jobs bc that's what I had experience in, and I like working with my hands. I had a come to Jesus moment last year and realized I didn't want to be 60 years old climbing on roofs in sub-freezing or 100°+ temps (yay Midwestern climates). I signed up at a tech school night class to get certifications in Cisco networking (CCNA). Im in class 3 of a 4 class course, and have been sending out a few applications and resumes here and there because apparently my tech school carries weight in my city and people often get hired before they even finish. No such luck so far, but it's ok I can get by on the sweat of my back till I pass.

There are two women in my class of 5. They're nice enough, seem to know what theyre doing, and already have jobs in the field. They just want certs to broaden opportunities. Then we start talking about our backgrounds while waiting for the instructor one day.

After one guy shared, one of the women piped up, this is her story:

She loaned her way through college getting a history degree and worked as a barista for FIVE YEARS. That's it. Then (in her exact fucking words, I'll never forget) she said "one day I was like what am I doing with my life?? And I just decided I wanted to DO COMPUTERS." I capitalized for effect, but that was her phrasing to the letter. Like my fuckin baby boomer grandparents when they talk about what I'm learning lol.

Then she says that she applied for a job at a place I actually had. Same position , just 2 years ago and I had just a few months ago (national company with a big office in my small/midsized city of ~1 million). They had called her for an interview TWO DAYS later, where she just waltzed in and said she had "zero computer experience except for like Word and Excel but I like to learn" (again, her words). She started the next week.

Then she goes on to say that her entire first year was so stressful because she had no idea what she's doing that she literally broke down crying multiple times at her desk. She finally got the hang of her entry level job and they promised her a promotion with the exception that she go take these classes.

Now look, I might differ from some of you in that I'm actually ok with companies doing this to some extent. This is capitalism, and it's good branding to have gender diversity. I don't expect to be handed shit, I get it. I have to work for it because the market is saturated with sausage. Whatever. It is what it is.

What fucking grinds my gears is knowing how many women whine and complain about the number of women in tech, when I just witnessed this testimony (in a very red state, btw) from a woman who was NOT qualified WHATSOEVER for a job that I didnt even get a chance to interview for. Even though on my resume I provided links to a website I designed containing simple phython scripts, had built my own gaming PC, and had some experience as a cable installer for an ISP.

Either women are willfully oblivious to how much tech companies are bending over backwards to not seem sexist, or they are just so used to society telling them they deserve everything that they don't even see it as a genuine advantage.

I'm sure y'all will say both, but yeah that's my long-winded story.

TLDR: woman in my networking class told a story about how she got hired for a tech job she had zero education or experience for, broke down crying multiple times during her first year due to being stressed and clueless, and then got offered a promotion if she takes the classes we're currently in.