It is frustrating when you are an ambitious, goal oriented professional woman, who wants to get ahead, and you keep encountering roadblocks. Many women point to invisible barriers and gender bias as the most pervasive obstacles. These are serious issues, but there are steps you can take to minimize them. When you want to make your move to next career level you have to plan carefully and ask for help when you need it.
There is no point in flying off in all directions and taking anything offered to you. What you need is a concrete goal and a targeted plan to achieve it. For instance, you may already be in a position of authority with a staff that you manage, but have a goal of getting into international business. Another woman might have international connections but aspire to a position with more authority and staff. The goals, and the ways to achieve them, will be totally different for these two individuals.
You need to be careful about who you confide in. Your boss may be really supportive of your dreams and ready to help you with introductions and extra responsibilities. It is just as likely that this person will see your ambitions as a threat or as an indication that you're in your current position only temporarily.
You have to be sure you are ready for the next professional step. In order to get ready, you might volunteer for projects that coincide with the kind of experience you will eventually need. Taking night classes at a local college to learn new skills, or reinforce the ones you already have, might be appropriate.
When you step up the ladder, you have to be able to discuss business with executives and others whose sphere you want to share. In order to do this successfully you must have an executive presence. This might be a matter of accessing your communication skills and finding ways to improve them. Recording yourself is one way to determine if you are speaking in an assertive manner, enunciating clearly, and avoiding bad verbal habits.
Finding a sponsor who has already achieved the status you want for yourself can be very important. This should be a person who can introduce you to executives you need to know and can assist you with career opportunities. If you don't already know someone who fits this profile, you might have to do some research, seek a candidate out, and introduce yourself to him or her.
You might get so focused on your ambitions you think they are obvious to everyone else. This is almost never true. If you want people to give you opportunities, you have to let them know you are eager to accept them. Sitting back and waiting for the opportunities to fall in your lap is a bad plan.
Ambitious women have more professional opportunities than ever before. When you want to achieve something important you have to put a plan together. It takes time, perseverance, professional assistance, smart strategies and a lot of luck, but you can make it.
There is no point in flying off in all directions and taking anything offered to you. What you need is a concrete goal and a targeted plan to achieve it. For instance, you may already be in a position of authority with a staff that you manage, but have a goal of getting into international business. Another woman might have international connections but aspire to a position with more authority and staff. The goals, and the ways to achieve them, will be totally different for these two individuals.
You need to be careful about who you confide in. Your boss may be really supportive of your dreams and ready to help you with introductions and extra responsibilities. It is just as likely that this person will see your ambitions as a threat or as an indication that you're in your current position only temporarily.
You have to be sure you are ready for the next professional step. In order to get ready, you might volunteer for projects that coincide with the kind of experience you will eventually need. Taking night classes at a local college to learn new skills, or reinforce the ones you already have, might be appropriate.
When you step up the ladder, you have to be able to discuss business with executives and others whose sphere you want to share. In order to do this successfully you must have an executive presence. This might be a matter of accessing your communication skills and finding ways to improve them. Recording yourself is one way to determine if you are speaking in an assertive manner, enunciating clearly, and avoiding bad verbal habits.
Finding a sponsor who has already achieved the status you want for yourself can be very important. This should be a person who can introduce you to executives you need to know and can assist you with career opportunities. If you don't already know someone who fits this profile, you might have to do some research, seek a candidate out, and introduce yourself to him or her.
You might get so focused on your ambitions you think they are obvious to everyone else. This is almost never true. If you want people to give you opportunities, you have to let them know you are eager to accept them. Sitting back and waiting for the opportunities to fall in your lap is a bad plan.
Ambitious women have more professional opportunities than ever before. When you want to achieve something important you have to put a plan together. It takes time, perseverance, professional assistance, smart strategies and a lot of luck, but you can make it.
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