Girls in Tech. Mariam Hakobyan

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 coding, developing products or making other contribution to the team, the opportunities are numerous.

Itel.am presents Armenian women engaged in IT industry in the “Girls in Tech” series.

Mariam Hakobyan works as an iOS Developer at Workfront.

I wanted to get a highly-paid job

When I was at school, I realized that I liked technical subjects the best (maths, physics). Moreover, I wanted to find a highly-paid job on my own after I get higher education. I decided that Faculty of Informatics and Applied Mathematics of Yerevan State University fit my interests and goals the most, and I believe I made the right choice.

I had practical training at an IT company when I was a student, then I was offered a job at a startup company, and that is how it began.


Mariam Hakobyan

It’s wrong to think that a programmer is a person who codes. Many people can put several stones together, but that doesn’t make them builders. I believe that first you need to have a strong logical and constructive mind, and coding is secondary.

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Women and men in technologies. I don’t have statistics, but I think that there are notably fewer women in IT not only in Armenia, but the whole world. Perhaps, the reason is that there is a higher number of men with necessary type of thinking.

I have to notice, though, that the numbers of women and men among the best specialists I know are nearly equal. If a woman knows her profession, she is often better organized, more confident and devoted in work.


Mariam Hakobyan

The process of solving a problem is always on your mind

Women in technologies - this job has a disadvantage of requiring plenty of time and devotion. You can never fully leave work even when the working hours are up. If something isn’t right, the process of solving that problem is always on your mind. Moreover, you often work with foreign partner and you have to adjust to the difference between time zones.

Demands of the market and people change very quickly, you have to follow tech fashion. As an iOS programmer, I use Apple products. However, I never follow tech fashion fanatically.


Mariam Hakobyan

By the way, a high number of women began making more selfies thanks to latest tech innovations. I don’t think it’s a change for better, though (laughs - edit.).

The first thing I advise Armenian women and girls to do is to be sure they’re doing what they want to be doing. Of course, it’s important in every profession, but this industry is the one where you find it very hard to work if you don’t have love and interest for it.

Narine Daneghyan
Photos by Emin Aristakesyan