The web is a great resource for researching successful business women. There are some interesting and insightful articles on websites such as Forbes and Harvard Business School. You can also read the memoirs or biographies of a number of successful women and gain an insight into their professional experiences - both good and bad. Sheryl Sandberg. An excellent example of one such memoir is “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead” by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook. She discusses issues such as the low level of women in corporate and governmental leadership roles, the pay inequalities faced by women in the workplace and the difficulty of balancing career ambitions with raising a family. She encourages young, female graduates to “believe in themselves, raise their hands, sit at the table, take risks and support each other. “[1] X Research source Anne-Marie Slaughter. Anne-Marie Slaughter is a Princeton professor who rose to prominence in 2012 when she wrote an article in The Atlantic titled “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” a frank assessment of her difficulty balancing her work as director of policy planning at the State Department for Hillary Clinton with her responsibilities as the mother of two sons. In the article, she argued for “changing social policies and bending career tracks to accommodate our choices” rather than expecting women to simply run themselves ragged in order to play by the current rules of the workplace. [2] X Research source Hillary Clinton. Former Secretary of State and potential 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has long been an advocate of women’s rights. Clinton has emphasized the need to extend family and medical leave and to encourage women and girls to pursue careers in math and science. She says: “We need to empower women here at home to participate fully in our economy and our society. We need to make equal pay a reality. " Many will argue that Hillary Clinton is actually not a very good example. This is because not only is she not a business woman, but she is also under the threat of investigation.
Research what schools the women in your field went to, what internships they did, whether they worked abroad, where they got their first job, and any other information regarding their career path. Figure out what these women did right, then use that knowledge to work out a career plan of your own.
Surveys have shown that most women leave their jobs due to caretaking conflicts or workplace climates which are hostile to the demands of parenthood. [3] X Research source The best way to ensure a balance between work and family is to find a company which offers a combination of parent-friendly policies such as paid maternity leave, company-sponsored childcare, flexible scheduling, family healthcare benefits and paternity leave.
Do your homework. Find out what other people (men and women), with the same qualifications and in similar positions, are earning. Learn how to negotiate. Once you know your value, you should work on selling your qualifications, skills and achievements. Never undersell yourself. Don’t offer a salary figure first, and provide a salary range if you are pressed about it. Never say yes to an offer immediately. Think of the first number they provide as an “initial offer” and continue to negotiate if you feel you are being undervalued. Realize that you are entitled to ask for a raise. If you are already in a job where you feel that your contributions are undervalued, or you find out that a colleague is being paid more for the same work, don’t be afraid to ask for a raise. Just be sure to build a convincing case: do your homework and find out the salary range for similar roles both within and outside the company. Be prepared to talk about your positive contributions to the company including any recent successes or problems you have solved. Highlight any positive feedback you have received from others on your team. [5] X Research source
Self-doubt is natural, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Remember that you are where you are because you’re good at what you do. Project confidence through your body language. You can do this by standing tall and keeping your head held high. Greet people with a firm handshake and a smile. Most importantly of all, make eye contact with the person you’re speaking to. Try not to glance at them before quickly looking away, remember to hold their gaze, as this is a sure sign of confidence. If you have to address a room of people, try to make eye contact with every person in the room for at least a second or two. If you’re having a bad day where your confidence feels shaken, try to reassure yourself using positive affirmations. It may feel silly, but looking at yourself in the mirror and repeating something like “I am great at what I do” or “I am determined to reach the top” can really help you to rediscover your confidence and determination.
You can convey assertiveness through both your speech and your actions - have confidence in your decisions and don’t second-guess yourself. Speak authoritatively, in a clear, confident manner and people will have no reason to doubt your decisions. When faced with criticism, try to be as rational and collected as possible. Consider what has been said and decide whether you can use the criticism constructively or whether you should just disregard it. Whatever you do, don’t let it be a trigger which causes you to doubt yourself and your abilities. [6] X Research source
Destructive criticism is a comment or accusation designed to hurt your self-esteem. It is not intended to help you or allow you to see what you did wrong and improve on it. An example of destructive criticism would be a coworker saying “How could you be so stupid?” or “What were you thinking?” The best way to deal with this type of criticism is simply to ignore it. Constructive criticism, on the other hand, usually has a good intention behind it. It is intended to help you to improve and should be viewed as a positive. An example of constructive criticism would be: “Thanks for your report. It was a good effort, but I think it could benefit from more statistics to support your findings. " The best way to handle this type of criticism is to thank the person for their feedback and to use their comments to improve your work in the future.
The road to success is long and has its fair share of ups and downs. Working towards something you’re passionate about will give you strength during the tough times and added satisfaction during the good. If you’re not sure where your passions lie, think about going to see a career coach or a good psychologist. They will help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses and gain a clearer vision of your life goals. Remember that not everyone has a pre-existing passion, it may take some time to find yours. It is also possible to become passionate about a job, with enough hard work and dedication.
Focus on what’s important. Remind yourself of your long-term goals and revise them when necessary. Learn to prioritize. Decide what your goals are each day, then set daily priorities in order to achieve your goals. Finish one task before you start another. Multi-tasking is overrated. Focus 100% of your attention on every task you set your mind to, whether it’s responding to emails or filling out paperwork. This reduces the chances of you making a mistake or overlooking something important.
Networking is all about communication — making phone calls, conducting information interviews, writing letters or connecting through online networking sites. Once you have made contact with a person, it is important to try to develop a relationship with them, to keep in contact with them and to help them with any requests or favors they might have. You never know what they might be able to help you with in the future! One of the best ways to network successfully is to do informational interviews. This is where you organize to informally meet with a senior colleague or other professional for lunch or coffee in order to ask questions, gain valuable information and insights and create business relationships. Once the meeting is over, thank them for their time, ask for a business card and try to stay in touch. Remember: no matter how hard you work, unless you’re aware of an opportunity, you’re not going to get a shot at it. Your network will open up opportunities for you and your career, both now and in the years to come.
When faced with a problem at work, use a blank sheet of paper, start thinking about possible solutions, and write down anything that pops into your mind. Try to free your mind from the shackles of reality and practicality. Allow your brain to think freely and to make associations you wouldn’t normally make. Creative thinking requires thinking outside the box. Become more playful in your work. Use images and colors when writing reports. Use toys or props to stimulate creative thinking. Give a presentation from the back of the room. Break away from convention in order to think creatively.
Attending a good school will not only provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills required for your chosen career, it will also allow you to compete for the best positions on the job market. Some of the most prestigious positions will only accept graduates from top level schools. Attending a good school will also provide you with an excellent opportunity to make contacts and interact with the best people in your field.
Learn as much as you can from the people around you, read books to increase your knowledge and go to workshops to improve decision-making or interpersonal skills. Find a mentor. A mentor is someone, usually with a bit more experience than you, who knows the trade, offers advice, and helps you in your pursuit of success.
Stay away from distractions. It’s difficult to focus on work 100% of the time, but when you’re aiming for the top it’s important to minimize distractions as much as possible. It’s important to take some personal time now and again, but aim to be focused and efficient whenever you’re in work mode. Surround yourself with motivated and successful people. By surrounding yourself with other like-minded people you’ll be forced to set yourself very high standards and to work extra hard in order to stand out.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure can be a good thing, if it helps you to learn from your mistakes. If you begin to feel demoralized, remind yourself of everything you’ve achieved already and how far you’ve come. Remember that your greatest achievement might be just around the corner!
