Girls in Tech. Hasmik Galoyan

We pictured exclusively a man when saying “IT specialist in Armenia” a few years ago, but the success of Armenian technological products on international markets and numerous projects promoting startups development made the industry more attractive for women as well in recent times.
 
Whether it’s writing code, developing products or making other contribution to the team, the opportunities are numerous.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Itel.am launches a new series to present Armenian women engaged in IT industry.

21-year-old Hasmik Galoyan works at PicsArt as a Windows programmer.

The world is mine when code is successfully written

I’ve considered myself a person of art since childhood; I love culture, I paint, I play music. The question of what profession to choose came up when I went to high school. My father told me to do what was pleasant for the soul, and my mother had more practical thinking and advised to choose a perspective sphere. I realized later that my mother was right. I liked exact sciences at school and thought “Why not”, if I get a hand of everything I will try what’s the hardest. I decided to try and went to a high school with physics-math profile, then followed my mother’s steps to YSU Applied (Informatics and Applied Mathematics) Faculty.



University education for our sphere in Armenia teaches to think, but doesn’t catch up to certain technological advance. I knew I had to work individually to gather experience. Microsoft IT Academy helped me in that regard, I studied there for a around a year and a half.

I realized that I loved programming, and it began to bring me as much joy as art did. I feel all over the place when I successfully code something I couldn’t manage yesterday. It’s good that music remained a hobby for me, so I will never get tired of it. I go home and try to find time to play piano or guitar.

I started developing my practical programming skills since I was 18. However, I know a lot of people who began at school and had a launched application by 16. It’s never early to start.

IT loves enthusiasts

You think of code writers when you say IT. If technological progress excites you, it doesn’t matter whether you write code in this industry, just continue to engage in it. I cannot imagine a not enthusiastic IT person.



It’s Armenia that has few girls in IT. That comes from wrong perceptions. There’s just a belief that boys show better results in all spheres than girls. I don’t quite agree with that view. Boys do well because they know they should do well. Girls don’t do well as they’ve been taught from young age the opposite. If girls receive an upbringing that teaches them to succeed in every sphere, then they will.

Programmers’ brains work non-stop

More and more girls go into IT now. The industry requires the brain to work non-stop. It helps them to navigate right in different situations.

Their concentration is stronger. I can say from my experience that I’m able to spend more time on fixing mistakes and work patiently than many boys.

Women programmers can be beautiful and well-groomed

It’s difficult for women programmers to combine family and work. I believe that family should come first for women, and programming has an advantage even in that regard: you can work at home, having a computer is enough.



They often say that women programmers have no time to take care of herself.  I say that if a woman wants to do that, she will definitely find time. Women programmers can be beautiful and well-groomed.

Since my work requires computer, I try to avoid using it outside of work.

I want technology to serve me, not the opposite

Yes, Apple produces quality hardware, iPhones are great and work fast, but I don’t have to use the latest model. Of course, I follow technological news, but I don’t chase “fashion”. If my smartphone’s functions are enough for me, I don’t need anything more.

Technology should serve people, not the opposite.

Programming is a joy for me

Never think that you can’t achieve anything in this industry if you aren’t a boy. If you learn the most difficult things in the beginning, the rest is notably easier. They say “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. I chose, and programming isn’t a hard thing anymore, it is just joy.

Narine Daneghyan
Photos by Emin Aristakesyan