Women in Tech at DocuSign: Shannon C.
Our “Women in Tech” blog series places the spotlight on female employees in tech jobs who tell us about why they decided to start a career in software engineering, what they do at DocuSign, who their role models are and more. At DocuSign, we believe in the next generation of female leaders in technology and want to help them get on the right career trajectory. This week we sat down with Shannon in Mobile based in San Francisco to learn more about her career.
What is your current role at DocuSign and what do you actually do day-to-day in that role?
I am currently a Quality Assurance Engineer/SDET on the Mobile team. I spend most days improving the automation framework that we built to support mobile automation testing. We recently integrated a Mobile Lab that provides remote access to iOS and Android devices. We use it to run our automation on multiple devices and also to allow developers or designers to test the DocuSign app on different phones and versions.
What did your kids or friends and family think you do?
To be honest, they don’t really know what I do. They know I am an engineer of some sorts. Usually they’ll ask “so do you code?” and I’ll reply with “yes, I do.” Most of my family lives abroad in Asia and “automation” and “engineer velocity” and “CI/CD” does not really translate well in the non-technical Mandarin.
When did you choose to work in technology and why?
My mom worked in IT before she retired, and she used to bring me into her server room when I was a young kid. I would help carry giant hard disks (this was back in the 90s so they were almost as big as I was) and I was instructed not to touch anything and definitely to not push any buttons. I remember the room was cold, and the whirls of the fans drowned out any sound. So when I was deciding what to study at Carnegie Mellon, I wanted to understand what my mom was doing and enrolled in some computer science classes to find out. And I realized I really enjoyed computer science as well.
What excites you most about working at DocuSign and why?
Every time I get into an Uber or make small talk at a friend’s BBQ. It’s inevitable that someone asks me what I do. DocuSign is there for so many peoples’ big life events, like buying a house or signing an offer letter. So I can proudly say “Did you DocuSign it? Did you sign it on the mobile app? I’m on that team!”
As a woman in tech, do you have any role models in technology that you look up to? Who are they and why do you look up to them?
My role model isn’t just one person but my group of friends who are all in tech. They are smart and stay current in terms of technology. Together, we share what’s new and motivate each other to keep up by sending each other articles or attending events. Seeing them strive to be better and constantly learn new things really is my source of inspiration.
What advice would you give women who might be considering a career in technology?
Don’t be intimidated – you know more than you think. And if you ever find yourself in a situation where you don’t know something, use it as an opportunity to learn something new.
Interested in pursuing a career in technology and working at DocuSign? Check out our job openings. Coming to Grace Hopper in Houston on September 25-28? Visit our booth at #6548 sign up for an interview! We’d love to talk.