commercetools insights – eCommerce Doesn’t Care What Gender You Are

commercetools does not only build a smart eCommerce platform. We are a group of visionary minds from diverse cultures and backgrounds, working across the globe, but connected by a shared passion to enable brands and retailers to create inspiring shopping experiences every single day.

With International Women’s Day and Girls’ Day in March, we want to do a special spotlight on Women in Tech. People around the world are discussing ways to empower women to achieve all they can, so we are highlighting a member of our Customer Success team, Camille, to get to know more about her drive to work for a software company, her daily must have and her thoughts on women in tech.

Hi, I’m Camille Chapleau, Customer Success Manager at commercetools since this year.

When not taking care of eCommerce projects, coding or doing some intense sports workouts, I am travelling the world and eating my way through the places I visit. I am passionate about the startup ecosystem and always keen to have a chat about tech, startups, women in tech.

For the most part, employees in the tech area, and therefore in the eCommerce are male. How is it for you to work as a woman in this field?

Camille: I have been working in the tech industry since a few years and somehow I found it harder and harder to enter the IT field even though companies are trying their best to promote IT to the younger generation. Though, I find males are usually quite supportive and really helpful when I have technical questions. The gender gap in the tech field is often highlighted in recruitment but I feel only a few actions are taken to reduce the gap.

What can a company do to encourage women in the tech sector?

Camille: As a first step, companies and HR should remove the gender bias from the job descriptions. Also, a woman mentorship should be provided to the new females joining a tech company.

How did you end up in the eCommerce sector? Was it a long-term goal?

Camille: I started with an internship at Mytheresa.com in Munich, an online luxury retailer where I had my first glimpse of eCommerce. Then I worked as an eCommerce manager for two fashion brands in Paris. I decided to go deeper into tech and moved to Berlin where I worked as an eCommerce product specialist. So I have been working these past few years in the eCommerce sector.

Where does your drive come from to work in the eCommerce industry?

Camille: I know that every day will be different and I will continuously learn something new.

What exactly captivated you?

Camille: Tech is a really challenging environment and this is my daily booster. You get to learn a new thing every day and you never get bored because the tech sector is in a perpetual state of mutation.

What is particularly important to you in a company?

Camille: I would say the company culture and the atmosphere. I also need to be certain that I can learn something new every day.

What tips would you give your younger self if you were to graduate today?

Camille: My three key pieces of advice for women in tech are be bold, be always curious and trust yourself!

What would your job be if there were no IT?

Camille: Probably something related to consulting in the food, lifestyle, travels sectors.

Quick Facts

Describe yourself in three Hashtags

• #avidtraveller

• #techsavy

• #alwaysontherun

commercetools in three Hashtags

• #internationalbunchofpeople

• #creativenerdyteam

• #givingthebestofthemselves

What is eCommerce for you?

• #funindustry

• #endlessshopping

• #providingthebestcustomerexperience

What are your daily must-haves?

• #coffeeandtea

• #thelatesttechnews

• #codingdiscussions

Rather not?

• Live without coding.

What are you listening /watching/reading at the moment?

• The Culture Map from Erin Meyer, she decodes how different cultures work/communicate together.

• And I have a look once in a week on Techcrunch, for tech news.

Follow Camille on medium, too: https://medium.com/@camillechapleau