Everyone—women, men, old, young—can use some guidance in their careers. Mentorship has long been established as a huge difference-maker, especially for people just starting out or people embarking on a new professional path. This level of support has proven especially beneficial for professional women, who do best when they’re able to get insight and advice from other professional women. At Central Comm, depending upon the time frame, a large portion of our workforce consists of women.
There was a time when the words women and career did not go together. But times have changed. In 2017, there were 75,175,000 women aged 16 and older in the workforce, representing 46.9 percent of the total labor force.
Women are represented in the workforce in greater numbers than ever and holding a higher percentage of managerial and executive jobs than in the past. There are a lot more women-owned businesses than in the past.
For women who are looking to advance their careers, following these tips is a step in the right direction.
- Always have a current resume
Without a well-written, well-organized resume, you won’t be able to take advantage of opportunities that come your way. My most important career advice for women is to learn how to write a resume that will make you competitive in today’s market.
- Develop a strong personal brand and be visible
One of the best pieces of career advice for women is to develop a strong personal brand. So, get visible and make sure you are clear on what your unique skills and accomplishments are. You need to be able to tell your career story in a concise and interesting.
A lot of women feel uncomfortable talking about their accomplishments but if nobody apart from people you work closely with knows about your contributions, you’re missing out on opportunities.
If self-promotion feels uncomfortable at first, try sending a monthly email to your boss and his/her boss to keep them updated on the progress of various projects and any accomplishments.
- Be persistent
Don’t give up, if you really want that job or promotion. Sometimes things don’t happen as fast as we’d like but once you’ve set yourself a goal, be single-minded about it. Write down your goals, review them regularly and get support to achieve them. Also, make sure your manager knows what your professional goals are, so tell them what you’d like to achieve and ask for any feedback/support if necessary.
As with anything in life, most people, men or women, are not mind readers. It’s important to speak up. Demonstrating a strong work ethic, taking responsibility for your actions and a little bit of patting yourself on the back is the best way to get ahead. Remember, being persistent and advocating for yourself is important, whether you work at a company like Central Comm or Google. It’s matters not. What matters is that you believe in yourself.
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