Tech on tour

At DICE, we know the importance of in-person experiences better than most. So, this year, our Product and Talent teams made it their mission to get out and meet people at industry tech events around London.

Representing DICE, showcasing our work and building relationships with talent that have been – and still are – underrepresented in the tech and product space was a brilliant experience. Hundreds of individuals approached us at the events to share their experiences with our product, and provided valuable feedback that has made our Product and Engineering teams proud, and also created a sense of excitement to continue building an innovative and inclusive product.

Here, some of the DICE staff who were on the ground share their experiences from this year’s stand-out events. 

In November, I had my first opportunity to represent DICE at a conference: Women of Silicon Roundabout (WSR) at the ExCel in London. The WSR is a renowned event that has been running since 2015, bringing leaders from different industries together to share insights, experiences and lessons that can help empower other women looking to grow in their careers.

My presentation, “The Art of Personalisation: How To Build an App That Live Music Fans Love”, focused on giving the audience exactly that: a flavour of how DICE created a product in a crowded market that people love. In my talk, I covered the pain points of our customers, from finding the right event to the experience of getting to a show, and I brought awareness to the fact that DICE does much more than just ticketing.

In the past, I’ve found events like this to be really useful for my career, whether for networking or to gain more public visibility. Sadly, the stats don’t lie: women are severely misrepresented in tech, with very few of us occupying leadership roles. To be at an event with 4,500-plus female attendees and not be a minority in the crowd feels great – and to have DICE play a role, both in attending and presenting, is another great example of our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

This time around, in addition to my speaking slot, I also took the opportunity to volunteer as one of the hosts at the Career Advice Clinic. I shared stories about my own career path (which has been squiggly at best, moving from Engineering to Product and then back to Engineering); tools on how to build a career development plan; how to find a good mentor; and simply answering questions that could help the attendees achieve their goals.

Additionally, I had the chance to speak to incredible leaders, meet talent – some of which may be a good fit for us in the future – and learn more about what others are doing to solve technical and business challenges in their industries, which we might be able to apply at DICE.

Code First Girls is an organisation that aims to “reduce the gender diversity gap in tech globally by giving more women the opportunity to learn new skills and pursue great careers in tech”. Every year, they host CodeFest, an event that brings together women and non-binary people from the tech sphere and CFG community through talks, panels and networking opportunities. 

On the first day, I was part of a panel that discussed “The rise of the non-techy – why a non-STEM background has a place in tech”. The panel was popular among attendees, as many were career switchers looking to break into their first tech role. As part of the talk, I shared the journey of my career, which started with a degree in Modern Languages and led to my current role as a Product Manager at DICE. 

Following the panel, I spent time with Alix Henry, DICE’s SalesForce Product Manager, speaking to attendees about our transitions into Product, life at DICE, and our experiences as Black women in tech. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience to connect with so many women and non-binary people braving the move.

So, what are my key takeaways?

If you can see it, you can be it

We often hear about the power of representation and visibility in spaces where it is lacking. I felt humbled by the reception I received from Black women and non-binary people who shared the impact that seeing me ‘up there’ had on them, and how they believed they could do it, too.

Feel the fear and do it anyway

Every member of the CFG community made a conscious decision to leap into the unknown with their career. Despite the echoed feelings of imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and doubt – bravery and resilience prevailed, bringing with it choice and opportunity.

Pay it forward

Many speakers highlighted the crucial role mentoring and sponsorship played throughout their career development. I also believe in paying it forward by sharing my experiences with mentees. Everyone was new once, and more often than not, we grow the most from conversations in safe spaces with those who challenge and support us.

DICE attended DroidCon in October, the biggest Android conference in London, with more than 1,400 attendees coming to hear the latest about Android development. This year, we joined for the first time as sponsors, which made for a totally different experience.

The Talent team did an amazing job setting up our stand with DICE tote bags, bottle openers, stickers and T-shirts – and by the end of day one, hundreds of people were carrying DICE merch. Having a stand meant that between the talks, many developers would approach us to engage in conversations about what technologies the Android team are currently working with, and to learn more about DICE. Off the back of those conversations, we had many applications for the position we had open and managed to secure a strong candidate from it.

We can’t wait to see what Droidcon 2023 has in store. 

So, what’s next for 2023? We’ll be attending even more events across London and Europe, sharing even more stories about what makes DICE the place to work, and meeting more people from across the engineering communities.