There is no secret that women face far more challenges in climbing up the corporate ladder as compared to their male counterparts.
Despite having immense potential, they fail to reach the top of the organizational hierarchy as they would have wanted to.
In order to survive and progress in the highly competitive corporate world, working women need some wise words of advice.
Best Career Advice for Women:
1. Be frank about what you want:
You may be a highly efficient professional. But if you are not outspoken enough, then less deserving people may get quicker promotions than you.
For examples, if you are a senior manager and want to be on the board of directors, then tell about it to the management. This will make the higher management consider your suitability to be a board member.
If you don’t speak up, you will lose the opportunity to get a coveted position which you truly deserve. Therefore, you need to be franker with your co-workers and senior managers at the office. People who are introverts are often overlooked despite being good at their work.
2. Dream big and plan for ways to achieve them:
There is no harm if you are a dreamer. But you need to plan in the right direction in order to make your dreams a reality. Let’s suppose that you are a senior manager in the organization where you are working at present.
Imagine where you would be in the next 18 months. Also, find out the skills that you will need to learn in order to get there. For instance, if you want to become the Associate Vice President in the near future, plan the things that you will need to learn to gain the coveted position.
3. Don’t let your personal life distract you:
The hallmark of any successful working professional is in having the ability to maintain a balance between personal and professional life. No matter what issues you may have in your personal life, it shouldn’t stop you from accepting projects. Though this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should ignore your personal life, anybody who is worthy of your attention would be busy around the same time. Therefore, don’t let yourself be distracted by any issues that you face in your personal life.
4. You don’t need to be perfect:
Working women often become their own obstacles in their path to growth by doing something in order to achieve perfection.
Instead, you should try to improve things and be good enough. You don’t have to be perfect in everything that you do.
Men usually do not think in the same way. Instead, they try to figure out an opening and look for ways to seize it in the best way possible.
5. Follow what your instincts tell you:
There may come some situations when some decisions taken by you will seem stupid to others. You may turn down a high paying job for something else which you have an inner calling for. If you feel that you have the requisite skills do well in that field, then your decision will surely pay off.
6. Take the advice of a person with a grain of truth:
You may come across people who may offer you with suggestions which may lead to your success in the long run. But it is up to you to decide whether the advice will serve you any purpose.
Take a decision after some second thoughts and stand by it. It would be better if you follow your heart and fail rather than follow a bad advice.
7. Be persistent about what you want:
As a professional, you need to ask your boss for increments and promotions rather than believing that either you won’t get them or they will be offered to you. There is no harm in enquiring whether you are eligible for a raise or promotion.
If you speak to your manager regarding the matter you may get a clear answer from him. On the other hand, if you don’t you may feel anxious about your impending increment or promotion. Your performance may be adversely affected as a result.
8. Expose yourself to as many possibilities as you can:
If you are a young professional, then you should try your hands in a number of areas to find out where your passion lies. Unless you do so, you will never be able to figure out the exact areas that interest you the most.
Since you are still in the early years of your career, you will get ample opportunities to learn and do new things. So, don’t be a frog in the well. Try many things and go for the domain which attracts you the most.
9. Try your hands at things which you are not ready for:
At some point in your career, you may come across a situation where you decline a job offer which you feel you are not ready for. Give it a second thought. You may not experience long term career growth if you are looking for comfort.
You will learn a lot of things when you learn to take risks. So, even when you feel that you are not ready for a task, you should go for it. The experience that you derive will help you in your personal growth.
10. Move out if you feel that something is fishy:
You may be faced with a situation when you may be asked to do something which you feel is not right. In case you feel that there is something which is seriously wrong within the organization, then it’s better to leave. At least you won’t feel guilty at having done something which is unethical.
You will be also safe from getting embroiled in issues which may crop up from such an action. Therefore, if you feel that your company is not moving in the right direction, then you should resign immediately.
11. Do Not Tolerate Wrong Advances:
Women often have to face wrong advances from their bosses. In the fear of losing their well established jobs, they simply do not complain about these wrong advances. This eventually affects their performance and prevents them from achieving their goals.
The modern organisations take action instantly and remove individuals who behave immorally. The woman should be aware of the rights she possess and should confidently raise voice if she experiences something wrong. It will prevent such behaviour from men and also help other women in the organisation to gain confidence. Take action at the right time to prevent impact on the self esteem and confidence.
12. Do Not Let Gender Bias Put You Down:
Many of the traditional societies still regard women as inferior. In these societies, men get annoyed when they have to work with women in their team. They may disregard women and treat them in a rude manner. Do not get disappointed by seeing such behaviour.
Gender bias is a problem with their attitude and it should not affect you or your work. You must reply to annoying comments and completely ignore people who never understand. You may not be able to change every individual’s attitude but you can surely show how good you are at work by performing well.
13. Opt For Flexible Jobs:
Woman have many responsibilities in the domestic front. They need to ensure that their children get ample time with them. It is a good idea to opt for a flexible job routine that allows you to spend enough time with the family.
There are many jobs that permit flexibility. These are jobs like freelance writing, photography, creative jobs and teaching. The flexibility involved in these jobs permit you to attend to household responsibilities. Children need your attention in the early years.
14. Know Your Rights As A Woman:
There are special rights to help working women in their professional life. In many countries, women are held back from overtime at odd hours. Since they have household responsibilities too, they are given certain special concessions too.
Research and find out your rights while working in the organisation. Stay informed as it will help you perform better at domestic and professional fronts. Many women struggle to cope with professional and personal lives simply because they are less informed.
15. Health Should Remain Your Priority Always:
Women often struggle to please their loved ones keeping their life and health at stake. This is definitely not the right approach. You must always keep your health as first priority. You need to take out some time for regular exercise. These exercises play a critical role in maintaining your health.
You must also make sure that your body gets essential nutrients. Never skip your breakfast and make sure you have something healthy first thing in the morning. You also need to make sure you have a proper posture.
A good posture prevents you from having back ache and similar other health problems. It is also a great idea to use screen guard on computer screens to protect your eyes from harmful rays of the screen.
