Women in Tech Q&A: Hiring, Leadership & Career Growth

We asked some of our consultants at Client Server to answer some of the biggest questions we’re hearing from the Women in Tech community, from negotiating compensation and pivoting sectors, to leadership progression and standing out in a competitive market.

 

How do you negotiate total compensation packages in 2026?

Negotiating total comp in 2026 is less about the base salary and more about understanding the full picture. With more companies leaning on equity, bonuses, and benefits to differentiate offers, you need to walk in knowing exactly what each component is worth… base, RSUs (and their vesting schedule), signing bonus, performance bonus, pension contributions, and any flex benefits.

A few things that matter most:

• Do your research. Levels.fyi, Glassdoor, and Blind are your friends. For mid-senior roles, especially, comp varies wildly by company tier. A Staff Engineer at a Series B fintech and one at a FAANG are playing completely different games.  
• Anchor high, but credibly. Come in with a number you can justify - market data, your current comp, competing offers. Vague asks are easy to push back on; a specific, reasoned figure is harder to argue with.
• Competing offers are your biggest lever. Even if you don't want the other role, being in process elsewhere creates urgency. Recruiters respond to optionality.
• Equity is negotiable, too. Many people stop at base salary, which is wrong. Cliff periods, refresh grants, and accelerated vesting on acquisition are all on the table, particularly at growth-stage companies.

Know your walk-away number. Negotiation confidence comes from clarity. If you know your floor, you won't be pressured into accepting something that undersells you.

- William Brock, Head of Full Stack Recruitment

What specific skills are currently “recession-proof” in tech?

Technical depth alone is no longer enough at senior level. The ability to influence stakeholders, lead teams through change, and communicate effectively across both technical and non-technical audiences has become one of the most valuable “future-proof” skill sets in the market.

At the same time, AI enablement is rapidly becoming a core expectation, not necessarily pure AI research, but the ability to operationalise AI within products, platforms, and workflows.

Importantly, the ability to read, write, and critically evaluate high-quality code, regardless of language. Companies increasingly need technologists who can filter, challenge, and improve what AI tools produce, not simply relying on them blindly.

Ultimately, the strongest candidates are becoming what many describe as “T-shaped engineers”, combining deep technical expertise with broader product, business, and communication skills.

- Nick Heath, Head of European Recruitment

How do you stand out for senior roles when pivoting sub-sectors?

Pivots are absolutely possible, but candidates often position themselves incorrectly. The key is not to focus on what’s different between industries, but on what is transferable.

Hiring managers tend to care about:

• Scale
• Complexity
• Leadership
• Stakeholder management
• Delivery
• Technical environment
• Commercial impact

For example, an Engineering Manager moving from retail into fintech may not have domain experience, but if they’ve managed high-availability systems, led distributed teams, and delivered customer-critical platforms at scale, then that experience still carries weight.

However, you still need to be specific when it comes to the examples you give. The above is a good high-level explanation, but which part of the system did you lead? What was the challenge? How did you tackle the problem? Who did you engage with to do so, what was your solution, and what was the outcome? Having the combination of relevant experience, i.e., high-availability (etc) systems, but also articulating what you actually did within that system, is key.

Candidates who pivot successfully tend to:

• Clearly explain why they’re making the move
• Demonstrate curiosity and commercial understanding of the new sector
• Offer specific examples of their previous achievements, and show how those experiences are valuable in the new space  
• Avoid apologising for not having industry alignment

- Nick Caley, Sales Director

What are the red flags on a senior tech CV?

One of the biggest red flags on a senior tech CV is when it focuses heavily on tools and responsibilities but shows little evidence of impact, ownership, or leadership/mentoring.

Hiring managers expect senior candidates to highlight both technical knowledge and measurable outcomes, architectural decisions, mentoring, and business impact, not just list technologies used.

Other issues include vague, buzzword-heavy language, lack of metrics and unclear progression.

Strong CVs are clear, concise, and focused on both business and technical impact.

- Charles Sindrey, C# & C++ Team Lead

How do I handle the “years of experience” gap for leadership roles?

When addressing a gap in years of experience for leadership roles, we focus less on tenure alone and more on demonstrated impact, leadership capability, and measurable accomplishments.

The key factors are the scope of responsibility, the results delivered, and the ability to operate effectively at the level the role requires.

- Rory Thompson, BAPM Consultant

What practical support exists for women returning from a career break?

There is an increasing ecosystem of practical support available for women returning from career breaks in the UK.

This includes:

• Structured returnship programmes
• Paid return-to-work placements
• Mentoring and coaching initiatives
• Skills refresh and training programmes
• Flexible and remote opportunities
• Inclusive hiring practices focused on transferable skills

Many employers are becoming far more open to non-linear career paths and recognising the broader experience candidates bring.

That said, these opportunities are often easier to access through direct applications to companies with clearly defined returner programmes, rather than traditional recruitment routes alone.

We also work closely with businesses that actively support experienced female technologists returning to the workforce and are always happy to provide guidance and advice.

- Karen Simons, Head of Advertising

What traits consistently make senior candidates the “must-hire” choice?

The best senior candidates are those who can clearly demonstrate the impact they have had within a business. They are able to quantify the results of their work and the value they have delivered to the organisations they have worked for. Within tech specifically, they demonstrate the impact of the code they have written.

Furthermore, senior candidates are able to clearly communicate the ownership they have taken over an area or aspect of a product, explaining what they have done and what their plans are.

- Zainab Saleh, Data Consultant

What combination of skills gives candidates the highest probability of securing offers today?

Solid interview prep and the ability to deliver concise answers which focus on measurable outcomes usually go a long way in helping a candidate set themselves up for success.

Companies are increasingly looking for domain knowledge, so while a candidate may not be from that exact industry or sector, being able to demonstrate crossover skills and the ability to adapt to a new setting goes down well. For example, an e-commerce business might not jump at a candidate from a health tech company, but if both have products which leverage key customer data with modern tech approaches, being able to identify that crossover and how you could use your tech knowledge to adapt to the new environment could be very valuable.

For more senior roles, a solid technical background before moving into leadership, and being able to show an appreciation of what motivates engineers, is also often highlighted as a key factor for successful candidates. Equally, many interviews will involve stakeholders from wider business functions, meaning those who are able to demonstrate how they work and communicate effectively with non-technical functions, e.g. marketing, sales, etc., will stand a better chance (especially if those stakeholders are involved in making the final decision!)

- Chris Hasker, BAPM Senior Consultant