Celebrating Women’s Month 2022 with the Women at Makpar
A Few of the Amazing Women of Makpar
As an SBA Women Owned business, Makpar is fully committed to providing career advancement opportunities for all its employees. In honor of Women’s Month 2022, we recently sat down with Teresa Jones, IRS Team Lead; Rhonda Burton, Recruiter; Rachel Roberts Jones, IT Project Manager; and Farah Elghazal, HR Director, all who work at Makpar, to get a sense of what it takes to succeed in the government IT arena.
The following conversations have been edited for length.
Q: What does it take to build a career as a woman in the (often male-dominated) IT space?
Jones: It takes confidence in your own abilities to succeed, to be comfortable with who you are, and don’t be afraid to speak your mind.
Burton: Training and education, both informal (self) and formal (classes, certificates, degrees) is very important. I also believe you need to do your job well, and go above and beyond so much so that the performance is noticeable. I also recommend seeking out leadership opportunities and opportunities in general to learn and grow, while also mentoring. You should also tackle and resolve issues by setting SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound.
Roberts Jones: As obvious as it sounds, it takes knowledge, skills and abilities – but also an inner confidence that you are worthy, you belong, and with some elbow grease you can accomplish your goals. As a woman in a male dominated and competitive IT space, I am guided by this quote: "No one is going to give you agency, you have to take it. Try not to think of all the different ways you can be wrong - they don't!"
Elghazal: Owning your role and function within the company is of utmost importance. People need to know that you are going to deliver excellent results. You have to be invested in improving by being open to feedback and establishing mentorships (both male & females) to provide guidance.
Q: How do you balance work with other personal responsibilities in your life?
Jones: I treat the whole of my life like I do my work life, I prioritize. I do those things that are most important at the time and ensure I make time for studying God’s word, spending time with my husband and doing what I enjoy most, sleeping.
Burton: I like to be fully intentional about work/life balance. For example, I schedule time for breaks and lunch, and set boundaries by blocking my calendar and scheduling time off to totally unplug. I also say “no” when appropriate – but am fully flexible when necessary.
Roberts Jones: I take pride in my work and have a ton of drive to make it as far as I can, so other women and girls can benefit as well. But, it's also important to remind myself and others that we work to provide for ourselves and our loved ones. We must prioritize and cherish the time we get to spend with them. As a wife and a mother to a 4 year old and twin 20 month olds, I'm very busy! But, I'm able to keep up (most of the time) with help from my husband, family, and our amazing au pair. It's also ok to lean on those around you, whether it's family or teammates. You don't have to shoulder all the responsibilities all of the time, because your own mental health and happiness impact everything you do. As they say, "happy wife, happy life!"
Elghazal: Firstly, I am so blessed to be working for a company that understands the importance of a work life balance. Makpar makes it easy for me to juggle between work and personal life. Balancing life and work include many things, such as taking time off, working in advance of upcoming deadlines, prioritizing, and ending work at a certain time. Also, I am never embarrassed to speak up about needing a personal or mental health day.
Q: Any advice for young women just starting their careers on how they can succeed?
Jones: Don’t be intimidated or afraid by what you think other people are doing. Have confidence in yourself, ask questions when you don’t know, and never give up.
Burton: Understand your strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Also identify careers that match your capabilities and interests that you are most passionate about.
Roberts Jones: Many women have something similar to impostor syndrome or think they're inadequate for one reason or another compared to their male counterparts. The 'trick' I've found is to be self aware of my inabilities and confident in my abilities. It's ok to ask questions, take time to research, and ultimately trust your gut. Your voice and perspective are often the key to leading those around you to a better solution even if you might not be as self-assured as those around you appear to be. And, remember "How ever strong you think you are - you're stronger!"
Elghazal: Don’t be afraid to ask questions no matter how silly they may seem. Chances are someone else in the room is grateful you’ve asked that question. Accept the fact that good ideas get rejected not because of the content of the idea, but because of how it was delivered. Understand your audience and how they consume information.
We would like to thank Teresa, Rhonda, Farah, and Rachel for sharing their insights with us. To learn more about what makes Makpar’s culture special, please click here.