Meet Shah Raza
Tell us your story in your own words. Who are you, and how did you start creating tech content?
My name is Shah, and my path into tech was honestly not as straightforward as it might look online.
I studied Computer Information Systems at the University of Houston, and throughout college I was constantly trying to figure out how to break into the industry. I did internships, worked on research, competed in technical competitions, and eventually became a software engineer at Google.
But one thing I realized along the way was how much information in tech is hidden in plain sight. There are so many programs, internships, fellowships, hackathons, scholarships, and other opportunities that can completely change someone’s career, but most students never hear about them.
That is a big reason I started creating content. I wanted to take the things I had spent years figuring out and make them easier for someone else to find. Over time, that turned into content about careers, technology, AI, opportunities, and just navigating the tech industry in general.
At its core, I think my content is really about access. If I find something that could help someone get their first opportunity in tech, I want people to know about it.
What’s something people assume about you or your path from your content that isn’t actually true?
I think social media naturally makes people’s careers look much more linear than they actually are.
Someone might see that I work in tech or that I’ve had internships and assume I always knew what I was doing, but that definitely wasn’t the case. There were plenty of applications that went nowhere, interviews I didn’t pass, moments where I questioned whether I was good enough, and times when I had absolutely no idea what my next step was supposed to be.
A lot of my content comes from remembering what it felt like to be that student searching the internet trying to figure everything out.
I don’t think you need to have everything figured out early. A lot of careers are built by just continuing to put yourself in situations where something good can happen.
On Being an Ally
What drew your attention to women in tech? Was there a moment, a person, or something you saw that sparked it?
It wasn’t necessarily one single moment. The more time I spent in the tech industry and around different tech communities, the more I became aware that people can have very different experiences entering and navigating the same industry.
I also started seeing organizations like Rewriting the Code that were intentionally creating the kind of community, mentorship, and access that can make a huge difference early in someone’s career.
What stood out to me about RTC specifically was the strength of that community. It’s not just about helping someone get a job. It’s creating a network where people advocate for each other, share opportunities, and make sure someone doesn’t have to navigate the industry completely alone.
That is something I really respect, and when I have a platform that can help amplify communities or opportunities like that, I want to use it.
What does being a good ally look like day to day, beyond posting about it?
I think a big part of being a good ally is what you do when there isn’t an audience watching.
It can be as simple as making sure someone’s idea gets acknowledged in a meeting, giving credit to the person who actually did the work, sharing an opportunity with someone who might not otherwise hear about it, or recommending someone when their name isn’t in the room.
And probably most importantly, listening.
You don’t have to pretend that you completely understand someone else’s experience to support them. Sometimes being an ally means recognizing that you don’t know everything, listening to what someone is telling you, and being willing to change your behavior because of it.
What’s a mistake you’ve made, or seen other men make, when trying to support women at work? What did you learn from it?
One mistake I’ve seen is assuming that being supportive means you have to speak for someone.
There’s a difference between advocating for somebody and taking over their voice.
Sometimes the better thing to do is create space for someone to speak for themselves, make sure they’re being heard, and then reinforce or support what they’re saying rather than trying to represent their experience for them.
I’ve also learned that you shouldn’t assume what somebody needs. Asking, listening, and treating each person as an individual is usually much more helpful than deciding in advance what “support” is supposed to look like.
If a man reading this wants to start showing up for the women on his team tomorrow, what’s one small thing he could do?
Pay attention to who is getting credit.
If someone makes a good point in a meeting, acknowledge them by name. If you’re talking about a project’s success, mention the people who actually contributed to it. And if you see someone’s work being overlooked, make sure it doesn’t stay overlooked.
It sounds small, but consistently making sure people receive recognition for their work can have a real impact.
For RTC Members
Many of our members are students and new grad women attending our career summit. What’s one thing you’d tell them to do before, during, or after an event like this?
Don’t measure the success of the event by how many recruiters you talk to. Measure it by how many real relationships you start.
Obviously, talk to recruiters and learn about opportunities, but also talk to the other students around you. Add people on LinkedIn, join the RTC Slack, follow up with the person you had a great conversation with, and actually maintain those relationships afterward.
Some of the people sitting next to you at a career summit today are going to be engineers, founders, researchers, recruiters, and leaders across the industry a few years from now.
Your network isn’t just the people who are ahead of you. It’s also the people growing alongside you.
So my biggest advice would be: don’t just attend the summit. Participate in it. Ask the question you’re nervous about asking, introduce yourself to someone you don’t know, and follow up afterward.
One conversation can genuinely change the direction of your career.
The views and opinions expressed here are Shah’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of his employer.