In this latest series of articles, we publish interviews of women working as professionals or students in the technology sector. The objective is to highlight their work and contribution to the industry and the community.
In these interviews, you will find women working in technology to solve real-world problems, break stereotypes, and create the next big impact on the tech industry. This series of interviews shows that even with the lowest rate of women participation in the labor market in Pakistan, there are still many smart women who are creating and using technology to work wonders.
Today, we are featuring Urooj Fatima. Read on to learn more about her work and get inspired.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, your education, and your work.
Raised as the eldest child in Karachi in a middle-class family where, the mindset towards women’s education and career was neither restrictive nor encouraging. The only woman around me who pursued higher studies was my mother, who resumed her education after 15 years.
I completed my master’s degree after my marriage. I worked as a primary teacher and took a break from my job when life promoted me to the role of a mother. I resumed my teaching job but soon realized that I wasn’t really passionate about this profession.
I joined CodeGirls to explore the world of coding and development, and it awakened a spark in me to pursue a career in this domain. After the completion of the program, Shamim Rajani, the COO of Genetech Solutions, offered me a job. It was a too-good-to-be-true opportunity for me at that time as I didn’t have any prior working experience in this field. But, Shamim trusted and encouraged me to join her team. I joined Genetech Solution as a front-end developer and climbed my way to project manager. I remained a part of Genetech Solutions for a good 4 years before I bid farewell to them to take a well-deserved break for my physical and mental health.
Right now, I’m working remotely as a Business Unit Manager for a US-based startup, where I’m helping develop an IPTV Player Product. Tech excites me, and I’m all about diving into new challenges, exploring fresh horizons, and seeing just how far I can go. With a curious mind and a love for adventure, I’m always up for a challenge and excited to take on whatever comes next!
2. What are your future plans/aspirations? How will it impact the community/society/your team/your project?
My future plans revolve around finding an optimum balance between my work and personal life and simultaneously growing in both areas. I want to grow professionally, be financially abundant, keep up with emerging trends and changes, and contribute to the best of my abilities in my role. I also aspire to grow, refine, and polish my personality and equip myself with the strong traits that I always look up to in my role models and people who inspire me the most.
In today’s world, hustle culture is glorified to a dangerous extent, where sacrificing mental peace and personal life for career success is often applauded. While I value hard work and dedication, I firmly believe they should never come at the cost of mental health. I believe that when you are truly at peace from the inside, it naturally translates into success and growth on the outside. I also believe actions speak louder than words, and leading by example is the best way to inspire change. That’s why I’m passionate about promoting work-life balance, practicing it in my own life, and encouraging others, especially working women around me, to prioritize their physical and mental well-being.
3. Please brag about your career accomplishments. What are the things you are proud of?
- I am super proud that I didn’t give up on my education after getting married and becoming a mother.
- I feel good about shining in the CodeGirls boot camp and being approached by Genetech to be a part of their team.
- My greatest accomplishment is to set an example for the girls in my family. I was the first woman to continue her studies and start a career with a child in a tech field.
- I am also proud of rekindling my passion for learning, relearning, and allowing myself to be flexible according to the requirements of the situation.
4. What has been your best education/career decision, and why?
The best decision was to be open to exploring different career horizons other than teaching. I feel glad today that I decided to quit teaching because it didn’t spark the joy that I sought from my work. Had I not parted ways with my teaching job, I wouldn’t have joined CodeGirls and embarked on my life’s most amazing and transformative journey.
Looking back and reflecting on my decision further solidified my belief that if you feel something (or someone) isn’t right for you or doesn’t bring you contentment, it’s sensible to part ways with them, and something better will surely come along. But for that, you need to take a bold step of walking away and embracing the opportunities that come your way.
5. What are the best lessons you’ve learned?
Mr. Tolstoy’s meaningful words perfectly sum up one of the most important lessons I’ve learned:
“An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person’s main task in life – becoming a better person.”
To become a better version of myself, I must have the courage to accept that I can be wrong and embrace the fact that there is a vast room for learning about things I am currently unaware of. This mindset pushes me to keep learning, unlearning, and relearning so I can keep evolving.
It’s easy to boast about being the ‘best’ or thinking you ‘know it all,’ but that attitude only blocks growth, stops you from improving, and keeps you personally and professionally stuck. I want to grow, thrive, and reach my full potential in my work and personal life. And I believe keeping an open mind is the only way to make that happen.
6. Which woman inspires you and why?
Women who do not succumb to injustice and stay deterred are my heroes. Resilience is essential for women to survive, strive, and nurture a strong generation.
Bibi Zainab, a.s., the sister of Imam Hussain a.s, is the epitome of what women should aspire to be. Her bravery against tyranny and unwavering determination to stand for the truth reinforces my belief in women’s strength. The events of Karbala and Bibi Zainab’s struggle challenge the societal norm that women need men behind them to be strong, and it’s often the other way around. The sacrifices of Imam Hussain a.s. would not have been known worldwide without Bibi Zainab’s mission to expose the oppressors of her time.
Besides resilience, empathy is another quality that inspires me deeply. Women who view things from other people’s lenses and understand their perspectives are truly remarkable. I’d call myself extremely lucky to be surrounded by such women, particularly Faiza Yousuf. She is one of the most non-judgmental people in the senior position with whom I have had the chance to work; she is brilliant at what she does and passionate about empowering women in tech. CodeGirls and WomenInTechPK are the best examples, through which hundreds of girls have been introduced to technical skills and have explored a variety of career paths in the tech industry.
7. Do you think Pakistan has changed as a society in terms of accepting career-oriented women? What needs to change to help more women come forward?
Unfortunately, Pakistani society has not completely warmed up to the idea of career-oriented women. Pakistani society’s concept of career-oriented women comes with mountains of conditions. When a woman chooses to work or follow her passion, it is her personal decision. But that does not exempt (or even slightly relieve) her from the traditional gender roles imposed by society.
To embrace the change in Pakistan and have more females in the workforce, I believe we are in dire need of the following changes:
- Women should be more supportive of other women. One of the biggest struggles for any Pakistani woman is that she is constantly under the radar of society, looking for chances to remind her of her shortcomings on the domestic front and offering sincere suggestions of giving up her career to keep the family happy and thriving. Women should uplift and support one another, focusing on encouragement rather than criticism.
- The second thing that we require is educating our male population and making them unlearn traditional and conservative gender roles. For instance, many men believe that cooking and cleaning are women’s responsibilities. Such a mindset should be demolished and reconstructed with a positive note that cooking, cleaning, driving, etc., are not gender-assigned roles. These are basic skills and should be honed by every person.
Without the support from both genders, the change needed for working women in Pakistan will be difficult to manifest.
8. What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you?
- The world is changing rapidly, and women are being welcomed to join any field they want. Whereas in Pakistan, there is still a huge percentage that believes teaching and medicine are the best professions for women. I feel women behind me will find it difficult to navigate themselves in the work front due to 2 polar opposite ideas. This constant push and pull between tradition and modernity might make it difficult to decide what they truly want to pursue.
- Gender equality is still an alien concept in a patriarchal society like Pakistan. While women have proved they are equally capable of earning like men, the idea of men helping run a household and taking part in household chores is preposterous to many. Women in Pakistan are highly talented, and a little bit of support from their families and partners on the domestic front can help soar to new heights.
9. What would it be if you could change one thing about the tech industry/business?
If I could change one thing about the tech industry, it would be the aspects of work culture that disrupt a healthy work-life balance. Long hours and exhausting commutes, unpaid overtime, and environments that discourage taking well-deserved vacations damage mental and physical well-being. Work should fuel growth, not drain your energy to the point where other aspects of life, like family, health, and personal passions, are sidelined.
Creating a work culture that values people over productivity can make a huge difference. Some steps in the right direction are encouraging flexible hours, remote or hybrid work options, and ensuring overtime is fairly compensated. More importantly, organizations should actively promote the use of vacation time and create a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable prioritizing their well-being. When people are cared for, their work thrives, and so do businesses.
10. How can WomenInTechPK help you and other women?
WomenInTech is an awesome platform and a safe place for women to share their opinions, perspectives, and ideas without the fear of being dismissed, judged, or ridiculed. The number of communities for educating and uplifting women in the tech domain is almost negligible. Working women often find themselves lost and need a helping hand to navigate the career arena. Platforms like WITPK are like a beacon for women, providing guidance and resources to help them.
For me, WITPK has always been the source of a hefty dose of motivation on the days when I feel low. Reading about the inspirational journeys of amazing women and their contributions to the tech field energizes me. It fills me with a newfound sense of making a difference and setting an example for the upcoming generation of women.
You can follow Urooj Fatima using her profile(s) below, and please do not hesitate to hire her for your next project.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uroojfsadiq/
