( CNN ) -- Start-ups are fighting a war for talent in Silicon Valley , and the companies that actively welcome men and women are going to win it . Smart companies do n't recruit `` brogrammers . '' The term brogrammer is a joke , of course . Male software engineers do n't actually pop their collars , wear sunglasses and lift weights while writing code and share hot tubs with bikini-clad women . But the joke is funny for some people because it reflects a truth about a community where certain places exclude great talent in favor of frat house fun . The tech industry 's testosterone level can make the thickest-skinned women consider a different career . But the rise of the brogrammer joke and its ensuing backlash has some benefits : It helps talented women choose worthy employers , it gives a name and face to a problem that plagues the industry and it publicly shames some of the most sexist offenders . In 1999 , Google 's Marissa Mayer almost did n't take the job at the all-male start-up because there were more women at another firm that made her an offer . If Mayer had just graduated from college today with offers from two equally compelling start-ups -- one all-male and one not -- it 's clear which one she would choose . If you write software for a living and you 're located in Silicon Valley , you have your pick of employment options at an array of tech start-ups -- yes , even in this economy . When a recruiter 's pitch is : `` Wan na bro down and crush some code ? '' -- like San Francisco-based Klout 's was -- you get a sense of what that company is looking for . If you 're a woman , it 's not you . That 's pretty sad , but it 's not all bad . As a woman and a software developer , crossing Klout off the list of places where I might work helps me narrow my options . I 'd rather find out that an employer glorifies young dudes before I take a position than afterward . That 's one small way brogrammer culture is actually useful . It 's a red flag for women engineers , product developers , designers , project managers , marketers , business development and PR specialists . It says : This is a company that you 'd want to avoid . Conversely , companies that assemble inclusive teams are more likely to snag great hires of all stripes . Tech start-ups founded by women are few and far between , but they 're highly attractive to female and male candidates who do n't want to join a boys ' club . Established companies with executives who are vocal about women 's issues , such as Facebook 's Sheryl Sandberg , also have an advantage . ( Sandberg 's TED talk is one of my all-time favorite career advice presentations for women . ) The spotlight on Silicon Valley 's brogrammer problem has focused on some of the worst public offenders . I find sexism in 2012 corporate America appalling , but I 'm also an optimist . The folks perpetuating this culture are probably not overt misogynists . Most of the time , they simply do n't know any better . Path 's Matt Van Horn `` feels terrible '' about the sexist comments he made during a conference presentation that caused disgusted attendees to get up and leave . Geeklist began a women in technology committee after mishandling the retraction of a promotional video that featured a scantily clad female dancer . Cynics would argue that apologies wo n't resolve the underlying problem . But humiliation is an effective behavior modifier . I do n't think these people will make these mistakes again . Sometimes the road to enlightenment is paved with public shaming . And there 's a bonus : Onlookers have real life examples of what not to do at their companies . The tech industry has always been male-dominated . But the perception of those men has changed . Billionaire geeks of Silicon Valley are no longer considered awkward nerds who ca n't get a date . Instead , they 're superheroes , the protagonist in epic movies and biographies . A new generation of young people from all walks of life aspires to be the next Mark Zuckerberg , Steve Jobs or Bill Gates . They 'll want to work for the most attractive companies -- the ones who built welcoming , diverse teams . Brogrammer culture celebrates frat house values , youth over experience and men over women . In the war for hiring great talent , the companies that embrace this culture rather than reject it will lose . That 's a good thing . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gina Trapani .
Silicon Valley has a problem with brogrammer culture of frat house fun . Gina Trapani : Tech start-ups that want to hire the best people will reject brogrammers . She says sexist offenders are likely to be shamed into modifying their bad behaviors . Comment: Inclusive tech companies that value diversity will win the war for talent .