You’re in town to get a Matrix Award, for women leaders in the communications field. Given what a boys’ club the tech world is, what is it like for a woman to be in one of the top spots at Facebook?
I think the tech world is a great place for careers. It’s a place where things are growing and changing and having a great impact on society. There aren’t enough women in tech, but there aren’t enough women at the top of various industries. Part of the point of this event is to encourage women to really lean into their careers and to try to change that.
Do you find that young women are discouraged from pursuing tech careers?
The number of women getting computer science degrees has gone down dramatically over the last 20 years. It’s a trend we need to reverse, because having a technical background is so important in today’s economy. I just saw a study saying that when a child is asked their gender before taking a math test, girls do worse than if they’re not asked their gender. I think if we can break through those stereotypes and show them great women who have achieved in math and science, then we can get more girls there.
What does Facebook look for in a job candidate?
We look for people who are passionate about our mission, that want the world to be more open and connected.
You’ve cited as your mentor Larry Summers, the former Harvard president who’s now a White House economic adviser. What was the most important thing you learned from him?
To care about the things that really matter. People who live in poverty throughout the world, people who don’t have the same opportunities we have. And to really ask the question, “What is the right way to solve this problem?”
What advice do you have for getting the most out of a mentorship?
Keep it based on real work together. You can’t just have a mentor like, “Hi, be my mentor.” Do something of substance together.