In a sector often perceived as male-dominated, the experience of Mélanie Caro, a back-end developer at Numendo working on assignment at a major luxury house, is an inspiring example of success and perseverance. Here is her journey, her challenges and her advice for women who are still hesitating to embark on a career in tech.
A successful journey
In February 2021, Mélanie Caro joined the Numendo adventure after successfully completing full-stack development training at Stackerine, founded by Jonathan Souied. Very shortly afterwards, she joined a leader in the fashion sector as a junior back-end developer. Mélanie then found herself immersed in a caring, inclusive environment. Despite having little experience as a developer, she benefited from attentive support, in particular from Josselin Moulay, a former Numendo developer, who trained her on a Node, TypeScript and GraphQL stack.
I started without experience, but I was welcomed with a great deal of kindness by the various teams. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were many women in a range of positions, including positions of responsibility. It is a company where you can progress thanks to your technical and interpersonal skills, without distinction of gender or qualifications.
In three years, she has gone from junior developer to lead developer, taking over from Josselin. She continues to code while taking part in decision-making and project management, managing a team of 4 to 5 people.
The importance of supportive guidance
Recently, Mélanie’s team merged with a cross-functional team that handles both back-end and front-end topics, based on React, Next.js and Storybook technologies. Although Mélanie has acquired solid back-end knowledge, she is given the time and support she needs from her team to learn these languages and adapt to the projects to come.
Pride and recognition
Among the achievements Mélanie is most proud of, her career change holds a special place. “I have a serious case of impostor syndrome, but when I see how far I have come in three years, and my colleagues’ recognition of my day-to-day work, it reassures me that I really am in the right place as a developer.”
Faced with complex projects, Mélanie has always been able to count on her colleagues: “I can always ask questions, and I will always get an answer. If you need help, you are given it.”
Apprehensions and obstacles
Mélanie talks about the apprehensions she encountered at the start of her career change, in particular the sexist perceptions that can exist in the tech world: “I was afraid of arriving in a very male environment and not being taken seriously because I had neither experience nor a qualification, and because I was a woman. I was lucky enough to start my first assignment at a company where that is not the case and where soft skills count as much as technical skills.”
She notes that, although Numendo has a majority of women within its support functions, there are still few women consultants working as developers.
Initiatives and advice for promoting women in tech
To those considering a career in tech, Mélanie’s advice is to trust yourself and to dare. “Everything can be learned! You can learn programming through plenty of tools on the internet. It is also important to know that you cannot do everything on your own. I have always been able to count on friends, my trainer and my colleagues to support me and help me progress.”
There are feminist associations such as Women Who Code, Women in Tech and Les DesCodeuses that support women in tech. They organise events that make it possible to meet women with very different, inspiring career paths. “It is important that women in the field tell you: yes, you can do it, you are legitimate and there is room for everyone.”
Conclusion
Mélanie Caro’s experience at Numendo, and particularly at her client, is inspiring proof that women have their place in tech. Her journey shows that with determination, support and an inclusive environment, they can succeed and flourish in this field.
The final word: “Above all, go for it — there is no reason why you should not be capable of it. Trust yourself.”
Tech needs more women like Mélanie to show the way and inspire future generations.
Would you like to join the Numendo adventure? Contact our recruitment team right now!
