Keep Your Tech Flame Alive: Akamai Trailblazer — Richa Dayal
The Akamai Female Learning and Mentoring Experience (Akamai FLAME) was created to support and empower female tech talent to help shape the future of our industry. The FLAME Trailblazer blog post series shines a light on inspirational women in the tech industry. They will give advice on how to keep your tech flame alive and share the most valuable lessons that they have learned during their trailblazing career journey.
Our first story comes from Richa Dayal, who shares her top tips on the power of networking.
Richa Dayal, please tell us more about your role at Akamai.
I'm responsible for marketing Akamai's cloud computing products in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. This entails working very closely with our global marketing teams, sales teams, and cloud evangelists to build awareness and drive demand for the business. As this is a new business stream for Akamai, it is a truly fascinating and dynamic role that allows me to help shape an area of future growth.
How did you start your career in the tech industry?
The course of my career began with the power of networking. A university friend recommended me for a marketing position at a business-to-business tech startup in Singapore — and that opportunity exposed me to various facets of the business, allowing me to learn and contribute across different domains.
From there, my career trajectory has been quite dynamic. I’ve navigated through various roles in marketing from field and events to digital, sales, and customer success to launching new business units. This journey has not only enriched my skill set and taught me about various functions in a business, but also fueled my passion for the ever-evolving tech landscape.
What helps you keep your tech flame alive?
The tech landscape is incredibly dynamic and there is continuous innovation in the industry. I find the constant emergence of new platforms, concepts, challenges, and opportunities very exciting, and it definitely keeps me on my toes. As someone who is naturally curious, the continuous pace of learning new things keeps my tech flame alive.
What is your best piece of advice for women who are looking to keep their tech flame alive in the industry?
In a constantly changing field like tech, don’t be afraid of trying new things. It is essential to keep learning and exploring new domains. I would encourage everyone to grow their network and to learn from those who inspire you. It’s good to note that networking is about sharing, forming trust, and helping one another achieve goals.
Here are my top 3 tips for building your network:
Be authentic and genuine. Authenticity builds trust and more meaningful connections. Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
Follow up and build genuine connections. After events or meetings, make sure you follow up and connect with new contacts.
Be active in online communities. In-person meetups are great, but online communities are helpful too. Social media interest groups can be incredibly valuable. For example, a referral from a “women in tech” Facebook group got me my first job after moving to a new country!
Networking is a superpower and can propel your career in ways you never thought possible.
Why should women in tech join Akamai’s new FLAME initiative?
FLAME will provide you with some fantastic resources to see different career paths in tech. There are so many different ways to find success in this industry, and so much is possible. It is important to keep an open mind when it comes to your career — and I feel that FLAME will help you recognize that you are not tied down to your current job; you can always look to move into other functions and grow your skills.
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