Ask HN: How to avoid working in all-male work environments as a programmer?

Get a programming job at a company that isn't in the software/services business. I've been the sole developer at a few small e-commerce companies and my co-workers were a mix of men and women.

Much larger companies also have other departments (sales, etc), which probably have women.

Groupon Chicago is mostly blond sorority girls.

Try companies that specialize in design or interactive media. The design field is split 50-50 male/female in my experience.

I work at a Big Ten college. Girls. Everywhere.

and it seems that somewhere on campus they are always looking for devs.

Lots of funny comments here, but in all seriousness, I think a lot of social game studios have more female employees.

It makes sense, considering the article on VentureBeat today that suggests that women play more social games than men: http://venturebeat.com/2011/02/22/do-women-play-more-games-t...

Perhaps a place like Zynga or Playdom would be a good fit for you?

Take things into your own hands and get a sex change. Problem solved.

A lot depends on the leadership style of an organisation, no so much its size or business. Diversity ultimately creates better organisations, but it's harder to manage every day (that's true for all diversity: gender, culture, language, orientation, religion, "mindset", etc.). So look for organisations where "people management" is recognised as a valuable skill set, not just something that people do after some tenure period at the company. A lot of tech organisations unfortunately fall into the latter category.

A good first-glance indicator is whether the management titles of the organisation are given based on tenure (older people and/or long term employees), domain expertise (e.g. the most experiences developers have management titles) or leadership skills. Try to find companies with the last type of promotion system and you are very likely going to have more gender diversity as well.

It would also be nice to have environments that were completely gender neutral. Not just for the gender binary.

Thanks for asking this! I've been wondering the same thing -- I don't want to spend the rest of my life only working with men, it's ridiculous. If I was skilled at another profession, I think it would be enough to make me go and do that instead..

The obvious answer, I suppose, is to get involved with projects that increase diversity in CS and the tech industry, and also to encourage your HR department to find places to advertise their programming jobs that will be seen by women. (Perhaps a women-in-CS group at the local university, or a more formal group such as LinuxChix.)

There's a negative feedback loop here, though, where women will probably be less interested in a team/company that's so far totally failed to hire technical women. :/

Would you consider working in India? The M:F ratio in software development is 4:1.

Use your programming skills to work as a freelancer and then move to a city like LA or NYC where you'll be surrounded by tons of well educated and attractive women simply by stepping outside.

If freelancing isn't an option I'd suggest getting a job at a company whose primary business is in the medical, entertainment, legal, or real estate industries. You'll probably be doing internal development at said companies and working with mostly male engineers but at least you'll get a break from that at lunchtime.

Live in an environment where a lot of different start-ups co-exist. I have been having a better chances of a meeting a female each day at the kitchen, every so often. Not that I have a chance in the world with them, but I have my dreams, man. I have my dreams!

Go work for a big consulting firm, or spin-off. Usually lots of smart female devs.

Try advertising or PR agencies.

I use to do freelance inhouse work at design agencies, heaps of laudy mamas there.