She Bytes Back

Having major FOMO from seeing our She Bytes Back events? 👀 Let's leave missing out on them in 2024! So and save yourself from that “shoulda, coulda, woulda” by signing up now to be the first to know when tickets drop for our next event (Galentines themed) 🎟️✨ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ek65RWXS #shebytesback #womenintech #techevents #londonevent #community #careers

This is your reminder: lean into what makes you different. That’s where your power is 🔥 Cristina Espinal 🤸♀️ gave us a powerful reminder: in your career, you’re not just a job title—you’re a brand. And much like San Pellegrino’s iconic branding, storytelling, and elevated experience, your career value lies in the unique combination of what you bring to the table. Cristina’s challenge to us: ➡️ Are you blending in, like a generic supermarket brand? ➡️ Or are you standing out, like San Pellegrino, offering something distinctive and valuable? ✨ Your uniqueness is about your skills, experiences, perspectives, and even the quirks you might be downplaying (basically, it's not all about your job title). To help us see how we can stand out, Cristina introduced four archetypes: 1️⃣ The Optimiser: The one who can’t stand inefficiencies and makes processes faster, smoother, and better. 2️⃣ ... And more! (If you were there, you know how fun and insightful this exercise was!) Comment below "ARCHETYPE" so you can watch the full video!

This time last year, I had NO clue on how I was going to build up an event series - but I knew I'd make it happen... somehow 😅 This year, I launched the She Bytes Back in person event series, and it's been the most rewarding work I've done so far I'm so grateful for the incredible community that have supported and showed up to the events, it's made me even more determined to make the events even more epic for 2025 💜 the energy in these rooms has been POWERFUL I have to give a massive thank you to the speakers this year (in order of speaking): Pascalle Bergmans 📣 Kate Westbrook Kunmi W. Kirsty Hulse 💪 Melicia Chivers Hafsa Hersi Jaz Marfo 🌻 Bhavika Jagwani Grace Kisnorbo 🦓💚 Susan Barrance Adama L. Stephanie Shaw Phillipa Rodney MBA, CEng Cristina Espinal 🤸♀️ And a thank you for all our partners that have supported the events this year whether that's through hosting or sponsoring: Planes Studio, BrainStation, Depop, Signify Technology, Hustle Crew, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT I cannot believe we made this happen, it's a true testament to the power of community - I am SO THANKFUL (and very emotional finally taking time to reflect on all we've achieved so far) 2024 was just the warm up. 2025 is where we're going even more in - kicking things off with our Galentine’s event in February to celebrate the power of women’s friendships, and I couldn’t be more excited 💜 If you want to be the first to find out when tickets are out, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dji6zUwP

Stop playing it small... and start playing BIG instead At our last She Bytes Back event, Cristina Espinal 🤸♀️ challenged us to stop shrinking into the background and start playing big. What does that mean? It’s not about being the loudest voice in the room or having the most qualifications—it’s about fully owning who you are and using that to stand out. Here’s how Cristina defined "playing big": ✅ Owning your uniqueness: Lean into what makes you different and let it shine. ✅ Listening to your inner voice: Align your work with what truly drives and inspires you. ✅ Controlling your narrative: Position yourself as the obvious choice for opportunities. ✅ Building your personal brand: With intention, both within and outside your workplace. We're no longer hiding in the shadows, we're now embracing standing out by being unapologetically ourselves. ✨ What would change in your career if you stopped playing small and stepped into your power? #PlayBig #WomenInTech #SheBytesBack #PersonalBranding

At our recent She Bytes Back event, Cristina Espinal 🤸♀️ shared a story that so many of us can relate to:    Facing barriers in the job market and feeling stuck when trying to transition into a new space.    For her, it was breaking into the start-up world—a place where "you need experience to get experience."    Sound familiar?   But here’s the game-changer: instead of focusing on what she didn’t have (start-up experience, a network, mentors), Cristina reframed her narrative.    She leaned into her unique strengths—years of strategy and execution expertise, international facilitation skills, and a track record of leading teams on impactful projects.   By owning her value, Cristina went from feeling scattered and reactive to being strategic and proactive.    And guess what?    Opportunities she couldn’t see before began to appear.   Her story is a reminder for all of us: sometimes, the key to unlocking your next career move isn’t about ticking every box—it’s about telling your story with boldness and clarity.   ✨ What would happen if you focused on what makes you uniquely qualified, instead of the boxes you don’t tick?   Watch her full talk on our YouTube channel (and don't forget to subscribe)   https://lnkd.in/eB_iRz8q   Here's to entering 2025 with a newfound sense of confidence and clarity 🥂 #careerchange #careerpivot #career #confidence

The AUDACITY of me to keep going on about the power of audacity 🔊‼️ Hey!- it’s because it actually works🤣 I had the best time ever speaking at the recent She Bytes Back hosted at BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT I loved sharing stories on stage about my rocky journey of embracing audacity—the wonders it’s brought me so far, and the mindset shifts that continue to shape my path. Hearing Cristina’s talk about playing BIG in your career and Akua’s inspiring journey into tech was energising. Always a good time connecting, learning, and celebrating with amazing women in tech! Huge thank you to Amber Shand MBCS founder of She Bytes Back, for inviting me back for the second time and being the most fabulous hostess!✨

🌟 Your value isn’t recognised everywhere, but it’s amplified in the right environments. 🌟 - Cristina Espinal 🤸♀️ Cristina’s words are a powerful reminder that we don’t need to fit into spaces that don’t see or appreciate our worth. In the right environment - where your skills, perspectives, and uniqueness are celebrated is what will bring out the best in you. If you're feeling overlooked or undervalued, it’s time to ask yourself: Am I in the right space? Don’t settle for being in places that don’t see your potential. Seek out those that elevate you, challenge you, and push you to grow. #SheBytesBack #KnowYourWorth #WomenInTech #PersonalGrowth #ElevateYourself

What if you started striving for rejection? 👀 Wait, hear this out. Hafsa Hersi shared how actively putting herself in situations where rejection was a possibility changed her relationship with the word "no." "Every month, create a list of all the rejections you want to get—not because you want to fail, but because you’re putting yourself out there." Here’s the magic of this mindset: ✨Every no brings you closer to a yes. ✨You get more comfortable with rejection, making it less intimidating. ✨ You gain valuable feedback to refine your approach. Reframing rejection isn’t about settling for failure, it’s all about using it as a tool to stretch your boundaries, unlock new opportunities, and build resilience. So, what’s on your “rejection list” this month? - A dream job you feel underqualified for? - Reaching out to someone you admire for a coffee chat? - Pitching a bold idea you’ve been sitting on? Drop a 🌟 below if you’re ready to flip the script on rejection and start playing big! #SheBytesBack #WomenInTech #GrowthMindset #RejectionTherapy

The tenth and final episode of this season of codebar Stories is now live with the amazing Amber Shand MBCS. Amber is a Software Engineer at Skyscanner and builder of the community She Bytes Back ❤️ She sits down with us to discuss her tech journey, from the moment she decided tech was a career for her, to going through the Sky "Get into Tech" programme, to landing her first Web Developer job at AMEX. 🟢 https://lnkd.in/d7G9kekG 🟠 https://lnkd.in/dmDqPiPa ⚫️ https://lnkd.in/dUfyqZbe If you're liking the podcast please make sure to subscribe and leave a review, it'll help other people discover us!

🎄 Wrapping Up 2024 with Bold Moves and Festive Vibes 🎄 Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘺𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬: 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳—the perfect way to close out the year amidst a sparkling Christmas tree, holiday cheer, and a room full of inspiring women in tech. The event left me reflecting on my own career journey, which has been anything but linear—a "squiggly path" filled with lessons from both being in the interview hot seat and sitting on the other side as a hiring manager. During the networking session, I was asked, “How do I stand out in interviews?” Here's what I shared, shaped by my experience: 💡 𝐎𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: Step into the shoes of the hiring manager. What’s the win-win that makes you the 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦? It’s not just about your resume—it’s about how your unique value aligns with their needs. Go beyond the bullet points and craft a narrative that makes them say, “𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘠𝘖𝘜.” 💡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥: Your presence, your examples, and how you answer questions matter. Demonstrate your skills and qualities through specific actions and stories. This can win an interview before you realize it. 💡 𝐁𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: I shared my approach to preparing 3 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 that show leadership potential and curiosity. The right questions can turn an interview into a meaningful conversation and leave a lasting impression. The excitement from those discussions inspired me to start working on a free guide—a roadmap to mastering interviews, networking, and career conversations. This guide will include all my tips for presenting yourself in a way that lands job opportunities with a 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘦𝘴. I plan to release it early in the new year, so stay tuned! If you'd love a copy when it’s ready, type 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄 in the comments. Let’s make 2025 the year of bold career moves! 💬 #WomenInTech #CareerGrowth #Networking #InterviewTips #FestiveSeason