WomenInTech. How women build successful careers in IT

Successful women from the IT sector share their stories and provide recommendations for beginners.

Asem Bolatjan, Managing Director of JSC “Kazpost”

About Me

I oversee IT and FinTech directions at JSC “Kazpost”. We implement various technological and digital projects. I have a strong background in the financial industry, where I have worked for over 20 years. For the past two years, I have also served as an external advisor to the Minister of Digital Development of Kazakhstan, Bagdat Musin.

I have been a member of the Committee on Information and Communication Technologies and Innovations under the NPO “Atameken” for about three years. We work on protecting the rights and initiatives of the private sector.
This year, at the Digital Almaty forum, I received the “Woman of the Year in IT” nomination from Alihan Smaiylov, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In Almaty, I founded my own community, the Almaty IT Community Club, which includes IT companies, students, startups, venture investors, and the corporate sector. We host meetups and go hiking with like-minded people.

I am also part of the WomenTechLeaders community. This is a community of female leaders working in the IT sector on major technological projects. There are many of us, and we always support each other.

How I Entered the IT Profession

When choosing a profession, we do not know what will be relevant many years from now. This is a challenge faced by young people.
The future belongs to technology. Especially industry-specific technologies: if you understand both finance and IT, you can build a strong career in FinTech, or in HR and IT — HRTech. When I worked at a credit bureau, we sold information services and provided data management consulting. This is all closely related to IT. Since it is impossible to run a business without understanding it, I began to learn IT management through practice.
At the same time, I do not have a technical or engineering education. I am not ashamed of this; in fact, I am proud of it. Barriers to entry into new markets are low. Most importantly, it is the person’s desire to learn and acquire new skills.

On Stereotypes

Women in leadership positions face heightened scrutiny. Any woman who steps into top executive roles encounters this.
A few months ago, at a business breakfast, I asked Umut Shayakhmetova, CEO of the largest bank in Kazakhstan, JSC “Halyk Bank”, about this. She believes that such attitudes existed, exist, and will continue to exist. It is harder for women to make themselves heard. Nothing is expected of a man in a top executive position. However, a woman will be under close attention. There is a stereotypical belief that women are poor managers and are not effective enough in leadership.
Women and men will never be equal in career positions. This is because women drop out of the profession for one or two years due to maternity leave, while men are building their momentum. Sometimes women may need to devote attention to children and family: this is a natural function. Women need additional support, which is why special communities are created. At the same time, I see a positive trend: there are more female leaders among women.

Another stereotype is the image of a woman in IT. Historically, fewer women pursued technical roles. In the past, they were predominantly journalists, psychologists, and financiers. The IT sector is male-dominated. For many, it seems unusual to see a woman working in this industry. For example, among all portfolio companies of the Samruk-Kazyna Holding, all IT directors are men. I often find myself being the only woman at various meetings and conferences.
All of this has become the foundation for women to unite, demonstrate their competence, and break down prejudices about themselves. The most important thing is not to get fixated on stereotypes, prove your effectiveness and expertise, and move toward the goals you set for yourself.

Barriers for Women in IT

Women need to prove their skills to be accepted as experts. Meanwhile, if a man works in IT, it is assumed that he has sufficient knowledge.
I became the IT Managing Director of “Kazpost” in January 2022. Before this position, I had worked only in the private sector, so on my first day, I came wearing a hoodie and jeans — which is not customary in the quasi-state sector. People also looked at me strangely because I was a woman: previously, there had been no women leading IT departments in the company. Many employees could not adequately accept that their boss would be a woman. It took time to prove that I could be a good leader and manager.
Now that I have proven myself to everyone, the attitude of the team has become positive. I treat the team fairly, as the most important thing for me is the result. I actively promote employee development so they can enhance their competencies. I fully understand that none of them will work here for their entire lives. I tell them that by working on complex projects, they increase their market value and, upon leaving “Kazpost,” can receive better job offers.

Recommendations for Those Just Starting Their Journey

IT is a field where you can constantly change your specialization: from Product Manager to developer or other professions. My main advice is: do not be afraid. The ability to code or write technical specifications comes with experience.
Take on more responsibility. Work on complex projects, understand them, and build your expertise.
Always develop yourself, improve both soft and hard skills, and dedicate time to learning: courses, master’s degrees, doctoral studies. Learn to work with people, speak in public, and build networking connections.

Aziza Shuzheeva, Head of TechnoWoman Kazakhstan, NGO “Digital Transformation”

About Me

I am a member of the National Commission on Women’s Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of Kazakhstan. I am also a co-founder of the company BIG NAME.

Career Path

I graduated from the South Kazakhstan Technical University with a degree in “Industrial Economist in the Chemical Industry.” It turned out that during my graduation period, almost all industrial enterprises in Shymkent closed down. Therefore, I continued my education and entered the National Academy of Sciences. I studied reforms in various areas of the economy. Later, I moved to Astana and worked in the Ministry of State Revenue.

Digitalization in Kazakhstan began with the digitization of the tax system. At that time, I joined the team responsible for transforming the country’s tax policy. I traveled extensively across regions to implement reforms. I gained valuable practical experience in project management. Then I moved to the team developing the concept of the e-government of Kazakhstan. I worked in this area for 10 years. I implemented three state programs in this field. We built the first portals and infrastructure for digital government services.

In 2010, the Digital era began. The internet and social networks were developing rapidly. At that time, I moved into the media sector. I worked as the director of Channel 7. We modernized and transformed it. Then I tried myself in private entrepreneurship, creating several companies in different sectors. In 2020, I realized that it was necessary to create centers of competence in the areas of digital law and digital expertise. Thus, the public fund “Digital Transformation” was established.
In 2022, I created the TechnoWomen project, which unites women from the IT sector.

On Stereotypes

During my trips to the regions, I encountered rejection from local managers. Sometimes, local employees said they would prefer to see a man in my place. Some called their superiors, complaining that a woman had been sent. These people had a stereotype: a woman means she is not qualified enough. They struggled and could not understand how processes worked. But they were convinced that I could not help due to my gender and age.
Through joint work, they realized they were mistaken. Only through diligence and professionalism can a woman overcome the social stereotypes that arise in people during initial interactions.

Barriers for Women in IT

There is a problem in Kazakh society that affects not only the IT sector: the principle of personnel selection based not on professionalism but on loyalty. In many companies, there is a concept where people are promoted based on their own criteria: nepotism or other informal connections. This can be encountered in any field.

Another gender stereotype suggests that women should not be promoted because they will potentially become wives and mothers. According to employers, a woman will not be able to become a leader, bear responsibility, and participate in business trips. Therefore, they prefer to promote men, as they are not constrained by family or children.

To overcome all obstacles, women need to work as hard as two or three people. They have to perform a large volume of work and receive less pay than a man would for the same work. Only through perseverance and continuous development can women prove that they deserve promotion and career growth. This is what happened to me. I could not afford to take maternity leave. With my first child, I stayed on maternity leave for 2 months, with the second for 40 days, and after the third, I returned to work after 10 days.

Recommendations for Those Just Starting Their Journey

Believe in yourself. Our culture can sometimes be toxic — young specialists may face criticism. You may be discouraged from joining high-profile projects or told that you lack qualifications. Therefore, you must set clear goals for yourself and move toward them.

Read laws, memorize the Constitution, and learn how to properly defend your rights. In our society, legal literacy is low, and there is a risk that someone may want to violate your rights.

Constantly develop your competencies. I try to obtain certifications every year related to the IT sector, economics, flexible, and soft skills. Recently, I received an international certification in coaching. This helps in working with teams.