ServiceNow Returnship Event Highlights

The ServiceNow Returnship Event kicked off with an introduction from Sonu Ratra, co-founder of Akraya and founder of Women Back to Work (WBW). The event was focused on facilitating the re-entry of women back into the workforce who have paused their careers for reasons such as childcare, relocation to a new country, or more recently, due to the pandemic. Sonu began with the responses from a question asked during the event registration process. The attendees were asked what they are looking for in an employer. The responses were:

The event then transitioned to Women in Leadership at ServiceNow. The panel was moderated by Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Dean of Ethnic Studies at California State, LA. The panelists talked about the pros and cons of working remotely. Then, each of the panelists shared how ServiceNow has given support to them as women who needed time off to take care of their children, elder parents, and to grieve for loved ones who had passed. They also talked about the importance of mentorship and developing networks. 

When asked about how ServiceNow’s Workflow solution can help returners, Laura McDonnell, SVP Sales of East, Latin America, and Canada said, “Think of ServiceNow as a company that will embrace all of your experiences.” Then, to wrap up the segment, the panelists were asked for their advice to the returners:

“You have a superpower in you. Make that a part of your story.” – Aneesa Sayall, VP of Strategic Operations

“Have faith in yourself. Every bit of experience is a precious pearl. Use your confidence to string them together and wear them proudly.” – Wendy Li, VP of UX Engineering

In the next segment titled Your Future at ServiceNow, the panelists were composed of people responsible for the hiring process. They discussed contingent jobs and why they are a viable career option. Contingent, or what is often referred to as contract or temporary work, is a stepping stone to a full-time position. It’s an onramp for making a career change, learning new skills and technologies, and it allows for a little bit of flexibility. Contingent roles give the returners the ability to gain the confidence they might have lost if they’ve been out of the workforce for so long. 

Shane Driggers, SVP of Global Talent Acquisition, shared that it takes a little bit of vulnerability for the returners to put themselves out there for fear of rejection. He advised returners to “be courageous enough to voice ‘Hey! I’ve got all these great skills that I can bring in and I’m a learner.’” Moreover, Shane said that while the returners were out of the workforce, they have developed many skills that are applicable to the workplace. He advised returners to leverage those experiences when they feel comfortable and to not sell themselves short.

Lastly, a segment called What is your Workflow? included a panel of five returners and was moderated by the Sr. Director, Diversity Recruiting Programs and Partnerships at ServiceNow, Darcie Brown. Three of the featured returners were from a traditional technical background, namely Laura Ruelas, Madhura Kasinadhuni, and Mason Aviles. While Cierra McDonald and Hexx King transitioned into technology during their career breaks. 

When asked about the important things they are looking for in a company, Laura said, “I think the respect, growth, and giving you the liberty to learn and improve yourself is very important to me.” While Madhura mentioned that compassion, empathy, and a support group are most important for her. Mason shared that he was looking for a place where he can stay for years and build meaningful relationships. He said being transgender and an immigrant from the Philippines, he hoped to find a familiar, supportive environment where he can share his skills in tech.

Darcie asked for advice from the returners when changing careers from non-tech to technical work and got the following quotes.

“Trust that you can do difficult things.” – Cierra McDonald, Teacher turned Full-Stack Software Engineer

“Be prepared for the most difficult thing you’ve ever done but know that it is absolutely possible and within your reach. Don’t stop learning and never give up. You will absolutely make it one day.” – Hexx King, Body Modification Studio Manager turned Data Analyst

Additionally, Mason, a Front-End Developer affected by the pandemic shared how he prepared to return to work, “I joined a software engineering boot camp to update my skills and to stay relevant.”

Darcie ended the segment by asking the returners what helped them through their career break.

Laura said “Skills, education, experience, and network”

Cierra said “Community”

Madhura said “Faith”

Mason said “Trust in myself and the industry”

Hexx said “Grit, perseverance, and a small amount of crying”

Thank you to everyone who made the ServiceNow event a tremendous success.