Women in Technology Theresa ErvThis blog is part of our on-going Women in Technology series.

Theresa Ervin is the Director of Metrics Development, which falls under the corporate system. She has 20 years of experience in the industry with ten years in eDiscovery. Theresa holds a certification in Client-Server Application Development (summa cum laude), which she studied in trade school. She later earned her Bachelor’s in Information Technology from the University of Phoenix.

What is exciting about Consilio to you?

What we do. I don’t think people understand the technologies that are a huge part of eDiscovery. When people think of eDiscovery for Consilio, they mainly just think of review. In reality, there is so much that goes into the process before it even hits review. I don’t think people understand how cool the technologies are that we use. For example, we do predictive coding, machine learning, decryption, SSIS/SSRS, etc. We use so many different languages and methods to solve complex problems — that’s my favorite part.

What is your advice to women in roles similar to yours?

Be yourself, and don’t second guess your actions. I’ve noticed that a lot of women will shy away from taking a job or trying something if they don’t meet every bullet point in the requirements. I find that a lot of my male colleagues, even if they only hit 50% of those bullet points, still go for it. So, women really do second guess themselves and expect perfection to be everything. In today’s world, where we’re superwomen and working moms, it’s a lot. You have to figure out what works for you. Always be proud of who you are and what you have to offer.

What has been your experience with mentors?

It’s so important to find a female mentor. Amy Hinzmann has been great to me personally as she’s a really wonderful role model, as are Tamara Buie and Natalie Stute in HR. We have a lot of strong female leaders in our company. Don’t be afraid to knock on their door and ask questions; they’ll be very helpful.

Have you ever noticed times, maybe during your career, where gender was an obstacle?

Definitely, especially when I started in the late 90s, I was one of two women in the entire IT department. So, there were definitely hurdles. The confidence factor was important, and things became easier as I demonstrated that I knew what I was doing and could communicate solutions clearly to any team.

What do you think companies can do to get more women into roles in technology?

One thing Consilio did this year, which I love, is attending the Grace Hopper event. Companies from all over the world were there, and we recruited women for our internship program and any open roles we have. I think having an internship-level program and events like that are huge. They give women right out of college a view of what the technology industry is like and allow for companies to meet new candidates face-to-face all in one week.

What are your approaches to self-care, prioritization, and organization in this chaotic industry?

Coffee. Time with family and friends. Definitely knowing when I reach my limits and when to take a break. It’s something I have to actively build in, and that’s true for any busy industry. It can get crazy busy in any industry, so you just have to figure it out.

Additionally, when you work hard at a constantly busy pace, it helps to openly communicate with your boss when you are finally hitting a limit. Once in a while, you may need to take a day to regroup and refresh, so you can come back and hit the ground running at 100%.