Even professional women can find themselves in a stagnant place in their careers. Whether it be the state of your chosen field, a less-than-inspiring work environment, or economic factors, there are things you can do to shake up the status quo to move you forward
Here are a few tips that will help you achieve career success and move up the ranks in your professional life.
Remain Focused
Garnering success as a professional woman requires you to stay focused, which may prove challenging when there are too many distractions around you. Therefore, it is crucial that you learn how to effectively minimize distractions and focus on the task.
An effective strategy for doing this is limiting social media use and working in productive environments. Listening to relaxing music or podcasts while working is also recommended. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg describes in her book Lean In: Women Work, and the Will to Lead some catch-22 situations that arise for women leaders when managing projects.
Research Your Field
Research can be an excellent way to gain an edge in any specialized field, while simultaneously making you a more desirable candidate for a higher position. This also works well for completely changing careers and can give you a leg up on your competition.
Research tests your ideas while pushing you to think critically about issues within the field.
Women leaders tend to assume more responsibilities for work-life balance and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives than men do, yet many companies neglect these vital efforts. Prioritizing glaring issues in company culture and hiring practices will attract and retain more female leaders necessary for the company's growth and success.
Keep Improving Your Resume
No matter if you're searching for your ideal job or hoping to advance in your current position, keeping an impressive resume or CV will always put you ahead. An outstanding document outlining your accomplishments helps hiring managers understand what capabilities you possess and increases the odds that they'll invite you in for an interview.
Start with an effective professional summary, and then elevate your work experience section from average to great by adding more details, quantifying achievements, and using action words and power phrases. Likewise, enhance your education section by eliminating GPA information while including details like school name, attendance dates, and major or concentration areas of expertise.
Network
Women who seek to advance in their field of expertise find networking to be essential. Through it, they can build an army of allies who will support and advocate for their promotion while opening doors of opportunity.
Typically, women don't network as frequently as men, making it more challenging to advocate for themselves. When you make it a point to network consistently, you can leverage those contacts to advocate for other female colleagues and champion other women in your network.
Finding an employer-supported networking group that fits your identity and passions may be challenging; therefore, you could consider starting one yourself. All it takes to start this trend is inviting a few coworkers out for coffee or breakfast on a weekly basis
Join Professional Organizations
Professional organizations provide an ideal way for business people to network and expand their professional contacts. Furthermore, these groups often offer educational programs, workshops, lectures, and industry updates so that you remain at the cutting edge.
Many of these organizations feature committees dedicated to tracking national and state legislation that affects specific female-centric industries or businesses, giving members a way to leverage the group's political clout.
Before joining any association, ask colleagues and former associates which ones they recommend and attend one or two of those meetings to gauge whether it meets your needs and goals
Show Up, and Be Smart When You Get There
There’s a lot to be said for making your presence known. Showing up every chance you get and being smart when you get there is half the battle. Rise up to challenges and handle them in a way that moves the needle forward. If you can find a way to do this while also enabling others to shine, everyone wins. And you will likely be noticed for the effort.
Lastly, adherence to basic professional standards such as dressing the part and using your expertise consistently can elevate your standing as a professional woman. Whether it's time for you to seek employment elsewhere or looking to revitalize an already existing role, following these tips can give you the confidence and knowledge necessary for furthering yourself professionally.
