Women make up around 19% of the current tech workforce, with just 5% of tech start-ups being female-owned. They remain outnumbered in B2B sales across most industries, with 46% of women reporting having experienced discrimination in the European tech sector. It seems tech sales is still a man’s world, which poses a challenge for women interested in or already pursuing a career in tech sales.

That’s why our Women of Samsara Employee Resource Group—run by 10 committee members, representing all female employees—is continuing to lean into diversification efforts through initiatives like the Women in Sales event we recently hosted in partnership with the Women in Tech Forum. 

3 takeaways from Samsara’s Women in Sales event

It was fantastic to see such a big turnout for the event. Our aim was to bring together peers across the tech sales industry to share learnings about what it takes to be a successful woman in this space. 

How do we continuously adapt our skillset to the fast-paced tech market? How can we better leverage our own value? How do we make sure we’re getting proper support? All of these questions came up and there were some brilliant insights from speakers and attendees alike—below are three takeaways from the event that really stood out to me.

1. Reframing the narrative with research

Despite some of the grim statistics I shared at the beginning of this article, research shows times are changing. 

Although there is still a lot of work to be done, the tech sales landscape has shifted recently to be more equitable and inclusive for women. Subscription products like SaaS platforms and cloud services require relationship building and ongoing collaboration to help customers get the most value out of their investments. 

As the Harvard Business Review points out, today’s self-sufficient and digitally savvy customers look to salespeople to add value beyond what digital tools and information can provide. Additionally, research shows that women in sales often outperform men, achieving higher win and quota goals than their male counterparts. 

Companies are sitting up and taking notice. Here at Samsara, we prioritise providing women equal opportunities and elsewhere in the sector, opportunities are increasing—both great indications that we are moving in the right direction. 

2. Mentorship and community are our most powerful weapons 

Because women are underrepresented in tech sales, there is often a scarcity mindset that takes hold—but there are enough seats at the table for all of us and given the current macroeconomic environment, it’s all the more critical that we support one another. 

Women should be invested in and celebrate each other’s success. Part of our goal for this event was to establish a community of women ready to advocate for one another. Finding ways to pay it forward—such as becoming a mentor—can be incredibly rewarding, too. 

It’s also up to us as individuals to build our own networks. Can you find a mentor? Is there a woman whose career you admire—either in trajectory, leadership skills, or quality of work? Speak to people. Reach out. Attend events and join groups. There are so many women out there who are willing to help. 

3. It starts with recruitment 

We’re all probably familiar with the data around how men tend to apply for roles where they do not meet every qualification criteria, whereas women tend to apply only if they meet 100% of the requirements. This goes for new starters as well as those seeking internal promotion. How can tech companies, and the women within them, encourage female talent to take the leap? 

One of Samsara's current initiatives is tracking female seniority paths to gain clarity on career progression and potential hindrances. Could we provide a more flexible leave policy? More accessible ways for candidates to speak with other women about the role? Do we need to fill our job postings with more gender-neutral language? Do we need more women on interview panels? 

It’s our job to proactively tackle these challenges on behalf of future and current female employees so we can create a more equal tech sales sector for all. That’s why at Samsara, we’re building an environment where people from a diverse range of communities and backgrounds feel welcome. 

You can read more on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page. And, we’d also invite you to stay up to date with our community and recruitment events by following us on LinkedIn.