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The technology industry is one of the most in-demand, well-compensated, and professionally rewarding fields in the country. Opportunities for women to build their tech careers have never been stronger, especially in New England.

At Alexander Technology Group, we’ve spent nearly two decades placing tech and IT professionals with top employers across Greater Boston and Southern New Hampshire. We see the demand for skilled women in technology firsthand: In the roles our clients are trying to fill, in the candidates we work with every day, and in the shift in how leading employers are approaching hiring. The opportunity is real, and it’s right here in our backyard

This post is a practical guide to the most in-demand tech career paths, what it takes to break in or advance, and how to navigate the Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire market specifically.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Massachusetts is one of the best tech markets in the country for women, and demand is only growing.
  • Women hold about 26% of computing roles in the U.S., but that gap represents excellent opportunity for qualified candidates.
  • There’s no single path into tech. Degrees, bootcamps, certifications, and transferable skills all open doors.
  • Women in tech face challenges including bias, imposter syndrome, and pay gaps, but they’re navigable with the right preparation.
  • A skilled recruiter can provide a meaningful edge in access, market knowledge, and salary negotiation.

WHY NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO BE A WOMAN IN TECH

The New England market generates consistent, high-paying demand for skilled tech professionals across dozens of specializations. Massachusetts ranks consistently high for tech employment in the U.S., with the highest concentration of innovation economy employees of any state and the #1 ranking for high tech job concentration. Meanwhile, STEM occupations are projected to grow nationally 8.1% from 2024 to 2034, more than three times the rate of non-STEM occupations. The Greater Boston region sits at the center of some of the fastest-growing sectors driving that demand: biotech, AI, cybersecurity, healthcare IT, and cloud computing. For women at any stage of a tech career, this is a strong market to be in.

The honest picture is more nuanced, though. Women currently hold about 26% of computing roles in the U.S., despite making up nearly half of the overall workforce, and representation drops further at senior and executive levels. We can’t gloss over those gaps, but they do present an opportunity, both for women entering and advancing in the field, and for employers who understand that diverse technical teams consistently outperform homogeneous ones.

The talent shortage makes that opportunity more concrete. The global cybersecurity workforce gap alone has reached 4.8 million unfilled positions (about 47% of the workforce), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 317,700 new computer and IT job openings annually through 2034. In a market where qualified candidates are scarce, skilled women in tech aren’t just welcome, but actively recruited. According to the BLS, the median wage for tech workers is 114% higher than the median national wage, and in Massachusetts, those numbers skew higher still given the concentration of employers in biotech, finance, and defense.

Workplace culture has also shifted. Hybrid work is now standard across most Massachusetts tech employers, and it’s made tech roles more accessible and more compatible with a wider range of life circumstances. Employers who have introduced hybrid policies report a 33% reduction in resignations, and the flexibility those arrangements provide has been particularly meaningful for women navigating caregiving responsibilities and other demands outside of work.

PLACING NOW: 6 IN-DEMAND CAREER PATHS

Alexander Technology Group places tech and IT professionals across a wide range of specializations, from entry-level support roles to senior engineering and leadership positions. Below are six of the most active areas in our current market.

SOFTWARE & APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

Software development is one of the highest-demand categories across the Massachusetts market, with strong hiring activity from employers in Boston, Cambridge, and the Route 128 corridor. Companies are seeking developers at every level, from junior roles at growth-stage companies to senior positions at established tech firms, across web, mobile, and enterprise application specializations.

CYBERSECURITY

Greater Boston is one of the strongest cybersecurity markets in the country, and Burlington and Waltham alone house a dense concentration of security-focused employers, including government contractors, application security firms, and managed security service providers. ATG knows that many of these companies are actively working to diversify their teams.

DEVOPS & CLOUD COMPUTING

Demand for DevOps and cloud professionals is growing incredibly fast, driven by continued cloud adoption across every major industry. The Route 128 corridor (particularly Waltham, Burlington, and Woburn) is especially active, with strong demand from financial services, life sciences, and enterprise software employers.

IT SUPPORT & HELPDESK

IT support is one of ATG’s most active placement categories and one of the most reliable entry points into a tech career, a proven launchpad into networking, cybersecurity, and systems administration. Demand is strong across every market we serve, from Boston and the inner suburbs to Lowell, Worcester, and Southern New Hampshire, where employers are particularly attuned to developing early-career talent.

PROJECT & IT MANAGEMENT

The Massachusetts market generates strong, consistent demand for project managers and IT leaders, particularly across that state’s anchor industries of healthcare, financial services, and enterprise technology. Women are increasingly well-represented in these roles, and ATG places both contract and direct-hire project and IT management professionals across the region.

BUSINESS ANALYSIS

Business analysis is one of the more accessible paths into tech for professionals transitioning from other fields, and demand is steady across the industries that define the Massachusetts market. ATG places business analysts at all experience levels, with particularly active hiring among healthcare, insurance, and financial services employers in Boston and Worcester.

GETTING STARTED OR LEVELING UP

One of the most important things to understand about a tech career is that there is no single path into it, and no single credential that unlocks it. What matters most to employers in this market is demonstrable skill, relevant experience, and the initiative to keep developing both. Here’s how to build that foundation, whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance.

EDUCATION

A computer science degree is valuable, but it’s not a prerequisite for most tech roles. Many working professionals in software development, IT support, cybersecurity, and business analysis come from coding bootcamps, self-directed learning, or adjacent fields entirely. What matters more than where you learned is what you can demonstrate. That said, if you’re targeting roles at larger enterprise employers or moving into a technical leadership track, a degree or advanced credential can help you clear automated screening filters and signal long-term commitment to the field.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certifications are one of the most efficient ways to validate specific technical skills, particularly for career changers or professionals moving into a new specialization. A few worth considering based on ATG’s most active placement categories:

Certifications work best as a complement to hands-on experience, not a substitute for it. Prioritize credentials that appear consistently in job postings for roles you’re targeting, and pursue them with a specific opportunity in mind rather than collecting them broadly.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

If you’re transitioning into tech from another field, you likely have more relevant experience than you think. Strong analytical thinking, project coordination, client-facing communication, and process documentation are all skills that translate directly into business analysis, project management, IT support, and product roles. Healthcare professionals bring clinical workflow knowledge that’s highly valuable in healthcare IT. Finance and operations professionals often move naturally into business analysis or roles related to enterprise resource planning (ERP). The key is learning to frame your existing experience in the language of tech and building just enough technical foundation to demonstrate credibility in your target role.

More good news for career transitioners: Tech is a field where the learning genuinely never stops. The tools and platforms keep evolving, and the professionals who advance fastest are those who stay curious: following industry developments, pursuing the next relevant credential, and building on their experience deliberately. Those habits matter as much as any single certification or degree.

It wouldn’t be a guide to women’s careers in tech if we didn’t acknowledge the real challenges professionals face. The gaps in representation are well-documented, but the professionals who advance most consistently are those who go in with clear eyes and a concrete plan for dealing with hurdles.

BIAS IN THE HIRING PROCESS

Bias in tech hiring exists at multiple levels: in how job descriptions are written, how resumes are screened, and how interviews are conducted. A few practical ways to work around it:

  • Target employers with transparent hiring processes and structured interviews, where evaluation criteria are defined in advance rather than left to individual discretion.
  • Research a company’s culture before you apply. Glassdoor, Blind, and LinkedIn can all surface signals about how women actually experience working there.
  • Don’t self-select out of roles where you meet most but not all of the listed requirements. Women may be less likely to apply for roles when they don’t meet every qualification, particularly when job requirements are vague or unclear. Remember that the job description is a wish list, not a checklist, and always ask for specifics and clarification of responsibilities.

CONFIDENCE AND IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Imposter syndrome is pervasive in tech. Engineers at every level experience it, and it doesn’t discriminate by gender. But research suggests women experience imposter syndrome more acutely and more persistently, particularly in environments where they’re underrepresented. The most effective antidote is evidence. Keep a running record of your accomplishments, positive feedback, and problems you’ve solved. When the feeling surfaces, treat it as a signal to revisit that record rather than giving in to the feeling. Over time, a track record of delivered work is the most reliable confidence builder there is.

FINDING MENTORS AND SPONSORS

Mentorship gets a lot of attention, but sponsorship is often more valuable and harder to find. Sponsorship means having someone with organizational influence actively advocate for your advancement. Seek out both mentors and sponsors.

  • For mentors, look within your organization first, then expand to professional communities, former colleagues, and industry networks.
  • For sponsors, look for senior leaders whose work you respect and find ways to make your contributions visible to them.

In the Greater Boston market specifically, organizations like Women in Technology International (WITI), the Mass Technology Leadership Council, and TechWomen Boston offer abundant networking and mentorship opportunities throughout the region.

NEGOTIATING YOUR WORTH

Women may negotiate compensation differently than men, and they often ask for less than what they deserve. Before going into any offer conversation, research compensation benchmarks using sources like Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, and the Robert Half Salary Guide. Know your number before the conversation starts, and treat the first offer as the opening position rather than the final word. Working with a recruiter who knows the local market and can tell you honestly where an offer sits relative to what employers are actually paying is one of the most practical advantages you can give yourself in that conversation.

RESOURCES & COMMUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN TECH

Building a network is one of the highest-leverage investments you can make in your tech career. Below are some of the most active and useful communities locally, nationally, and online.

LOCAL & REGIONAL

  • Mass Technology Leadership Council (MassTLC) — The leading tech industry association in Massachusetts, with programming, events, and connections across the Greater Boston ecosystem. A strong resource for networking at every career level.
  • WITI Boston — The Boston chapter of Women in Technology International, offering local networking events, job postings, career development programming, and a professional community for women in tech.
  • WomenHack Boston — Hosts regular job fairs and networking events in Boston specifically connecting women in tech with employers committed to diverse hiring. Practical and focused on actual job opportunities.
  • WomenTech Network – Boston Community — A locally-focused community under the global WomenTech Network, with events and connections for women in the Greater Boston tech scene.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

  • National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) — One of the most established national organizations focused on increasing women’s participation in computing, with programs spanning students, early-career professionals, and industry leaders.
  • Girls Who Code — Focused on closing the gender gap through education and career programming, with resources extending to college-age and early-career women in addition to its K-12 programs.
  • AnitaB.org — The organization behind the Grace Hopper Celebration, the largest gathering of women technologists in the world, as well as year-round programming and career resources.
  • Women in Technology International (WITI) — A global network offering career development, networking, mentorship programming, and a job board specifically for women in tech.
  • IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) — A professional network for women in engineering and technology with chapters worldwide, offering workshops, conferences, and mentorship connections.

ONLINE COMMUNITIES

  • Lesbians Who Tech — A community of LGBTQ+ women and allies in tech, with a strong presence in major tech hubs and an annual summit.
  • Women in Tech Network — A global community with a large online presence, regular virtual events, mentorship programs, and career resources for women at every level.
  • Built In Boston — A useful local resource for company culture research, job listings, and profiles of women building tech careers in the Boston market specifically.

HOW ATG CAN HELP

Alexander Technology Group has been placing tech and IT professionals across Greater Boston and Southern New Hampshire since 2007, so our expertise runs deep in the local market. We know which employers are actively hiring, what they’re paying, and what they’re really looking for, all information that rarely surfaces on a job board. Every candidate we represent gets a recruiter who knows them, understands their goals, and is invested in finding the right match across both contract and permanent positions, at every career stage and specialization.

If you’re actively searching or just starting to explore your options, the ATG team is ready to help. Browse our open tech and IT roles across Greater Boston and Southern New Hampshire, submit your resume to start a conversation with one of our recruiters, or reach out directly to talk through where you are and where you want to go. The right opportunity is out there, and we know how to find it.

Shannon Herrmann