Over her 12-year career in recruitment, Chris Foglio has moved from Sourcer to Recruiter and now to her latest role as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner – Technology. Focusing on finding the best and more diverse talent for QVC’s technology openings — she is passionate about inspiring women to find a career in tech. Here she debunks six of the pervasive myths about a tech career to encourage more women to explore the industry and discusses what tech opportunities look like at QVC.
1. You need a technical background to be successful in tech… FALSE
There are many roles in tech where you don’t have to be super technical, such as Scrum Master, Product Manager, Project Manager or Learning Partner, although these types of roles may partner closely with more technical team members. People also think that you need to join Google or Facebook to work in tech, but the tech space can be completely different depending on the company. At QVC, we use technology to help our customers discover great products online, on our apps, or on TV, and to process orders and deliver great customer service. People don’t think of us as a tech company, but we hire a lot of tech positions — and in a fun retail environment. I didn’t have a technical background when I came to my role. Last year, I was given an opportunity to move into Tech Recruitment exclusively. At first, I was a bit apprehensive as I didn’t really know much about tech and the opportunities that exist. The first thought I had was – I’ll have to find people that know how to code – as if that’s the only career in technology. What I didn’t know was getting in my way. Through great leadership and partnership across our Tech team, I’ve met incredible people and learned a lot. QVC is a ‘try, learn, improve’ company – we’re always learning. When I accepted the position of Senior Talent Acquisition Partner in Technology, I used my relationship-building superpower to create meaningful connections with QVC leaders so I could ask questions: ‘What does this piece of technology do? How does that connect to the business?’ People in tech get really excited talking about tech, so I have plenty of go-to connections I can reach out to if I don’t understand something. Those relationships are often as valuable as technical skills.
2. Soft skills aren’t important or valued in a tech career…FALSE
Soft skills are more important than you might think, and being able to connect and communicate effectively will take you far in your career. When people think of tech, they often think you’re sitting at your computer, head down all day. The truth is you have to be both head down and head up, and even if you’re in a more technical role, there will likely be a need to speak to someone in the business or relay information. As a recruiter, I want someone to be genuinely excited about the position and I want to have a conversation that shows they will be able to clearly communicate with team members within the business. For example, if I ask them, ‘Hey, what does Spinnaker do?’ and they’re able to explain it to me in a non-technical way, then chances are they are going to be a good match. Within soft skills, that communications piece is particularly important for those in more non-technical positions too, such as Learning Partner or Project Manager. You must ensure everybody’s on the same page, bring everybody in and ensure that everyone is understanding what you’re telling them or the ‘why’ of what you’re doing. At QVC, we also look for empathy, both for team members and for the customer, whether they’re internal or external – and communication and empathy are often strengths women associate with themselves.
3. It’s all about coding and not creativity…FALSE
I’d first like to say that coding can definitely be creative and often combines critical and logical thinking with creativity. However, it’s true that so many products come from a powerful combination of creativity AND tech. Imagine a world without Facebook, Instagram or online shopping. To create those experiences someone, somewhere had a creative idea — and then built the tech behind it. There are also creative-focused positions in technology, such as User Experience (UX) Designer. At QVC, the UX designers work with a team that includes Software Engineers, Product Researchers and Product Managers designing how our products — from website, mobile apps to streaming apps — look and feel to our customers. And that’s just one example!
4. There won’t be anyone I can relate to…FALSE
Yes, women are still typically underrepresented in tech, but that is changing! At QVC, diversity is not just about gender or ethnicity; it’s about what diversity brings, which is diversity of thought and experiences — and that’s a super positive thing. When you’re searching for a role, look for companies that align with your values, because you’ll find that a company’s values are often those of the team members as well. Join a support network and find like-minded individuals and a great mentor. The idea is to keep learning and growing and building your connections in a safe space where you feel like you belong. And don’t let feeling different be a negative — our differences are our superpowers.
5. I’ll end up working remotely … FALSE
Yes, there are many tech positions that are 100% remote, but if that’s a concern or simply not for you, try searching specifically for positions that are hybrid or on-site. And if you’re interested in a position that’s listed as 100% remote, see if you can connect with someone at that company and ask them how they connect with other team members. As an international company, QVC offers different types of workplace connections that include both our version of a hybrid working model as well as quarterly connections for those who work primarily offsite. Regardless of the working model, we strive to make each team member feel connected and, as recruiters, we want to go after the best talent, and remote working helps us to do that. We’re based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, but if there is a pool of talent sitting in Dallas, Texas, we wouldn’t be able to tap into it if we didn’t offer remote working. Not everybody is able to relocate, so we must recognise that too. It also means we can open the field to more women, many of whom will also be primary caregivers either of children or other family members, as well as to the talent from workers with disabilities or neurodivergent people who might struggle with the limitations of a traditional office-based role.
6. If I work in tech, I’ll be one of only a few women on my team …. FALSE
As I mentioned before, women are typically underrepresented in tech, but that number is changing. There are so many inspiring female role models in tech who are at the top of their field — for example, Karen Etzkorn, QVC’s Chief Information Officer. Internally at QVC, we have a mentor programme, where team members align their interests with a subject matter expert. There are also lots of external resources available for women technologists, such as the everywoman Tech Hub, where you can join webinar and development sessions and be inspired by women in tech and their amazing achievements. I find women tech leaders to be incredibly intuitive and able to really dig into their teams and understand them. One thing I recommend is finding a software engineer at QVC on LinkedIn and saying, ‘I’m interested in working at QVC and I just wanted to connect and ask you about it.’ These are some of the areas where women should really be supporting other women.
QVC will be attending our everywoman Early Careers Day on March 7th – visit their booth or say hi to Chris in the careers clinic where she can answer any other questions!
