Yes

What is your background? What types of degrees, skills, experiences are necessary for this field?

I have a degree in Management Information Systems from Southern Methodist University. I have a MBA from University of Texas at Dallas. I have numerous skills from COBOL to Javascript. I am a programmer by trade. I have also been an Engineer and taught myself the web out of curiosity. I frequently take classes online and college to keep my skills up when I have time. Most of the time, I get a project, get a book, and start working!

How did you get started in this field?

I have been playing with computers since the fourth grade. We had a Radio Shack tandy computer in elementary school and I practiced my multiplication tables. I have loved them every since.

What college (if any) courses have been most helpful for your career?

All of my MIS courses helped. I also took a course in Negotiations that has proved useful.

What are your specific responsibilities?

I run a virtual company. My duties include everything! I do everything from web design to web development and when I need help I call in people I know or have met.

Describe a typical workday and workweek. What do you do during a typical day?

During a typical workday I spend most of the time on the phone, talking to clients, and answering emails. I perform most of the design activities at night because there are fewer interruptions. I also attend conferences and volunteer.

Name 5-7 job skills that are needed for your job.

Communication
Negotiation
HTML at a mimimum
An understanding of design
The ability to learn quickly
The ability to discern what your customer requirements.

Are you in a team-oriented position?

Yes.

Do you have flextime? Vacation time? Work at home? Telecommute?

I work from home because I own my own company.

How many hours per week are expected or warranted for peak performance?

Approximately 60 hours

Are many evenings or weekends required for your job?

None.

How much travel is involved with a job in your field?

None.

Could you give me examples of projects that you are working on?

I am working on several websites. I need to ask if I can give them out as examples to y'all.

Could you describe your work settings? Offices, machinery, resources etc.

I work in an office with a PC, a big printer, and lots of music.

What personal qualities do you think are necessary for someone to be successful in this occupation?

You have to have self discipline and a willingness to learn. You also need to have excellent budget skills because you never know when your next job is going to come along.

What is the major challenge you face at work?

Finding customers and making sure I charge fair but adequate prices.

What aspects of your job do you find most rewarding? (Pros) Least rewarding? (Cons)

Most rewarding:
Variety of projects.
Meeting lots of new people.
Learning new software, tools, processes.
I can set my own schedule.

Cons:
I have to constantly look for work.
Having to hunt people down for payment.

Are you confronted with difficult decisions or situations in your position?

Yes, sometimes. Mostly it is about money. People want all of these bells and whistles, but do not want to pay for them. Also, people sometimes want designs that are just plain ugly:)

Do you have a lot of interaction with a certain occupation? I.E. media, engineers, etc.

Not anyone in particular.

What is the Female to Male Ratio in your position/field?

I am not sure.
For Web designers, it seems mostly Female.
For Web developers, it seems mostly Male.

Describe the changes taking place in your field. Project future trends?

Since the web is only about six years old, change is common. New standards, new protocols, and new languages are always being invented. The latest trend is xhtml, a hybrid version of XML and HTML.

What is the turnover rate like in your field?

Low.

Do you think women avoid technical careers? What do you think can be done to encourage girls to get more involved in the technology field?

I do not thing women avoid technical careers. I think we are not exposed to technical careers. If I had not had the opportunity to play with the computers in 4th grade, I may be in the field I am in now. We should be mentors and talk in schools to girls.

Do you believe that women will be in more technical jobs in the future?

Yes.

Do you have any advice for women and girls that are interested in going into the field?

Don't be discourage. Don't worry if you are the only girl in all of your classes. Know that you can do it and you can!!