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Who says you can’t move successfully from one job role to a more senior one, or get that promotion or pay rise? A glass ceiling is a metaphor for the hard to see informal barriers that keep women from achieving these things. The barriers to advancement can be personal or cultural and can be damaging to a woman’s career aspirations and opportunities.
In the 1980’s, ‘the glass ceiling’ represented an idea that women were hitting a limit of how far they could go in a company and with their pay. Another idea is that glass breaks and that this limiting belief has held many truly capable women from reaching their full potential at work!
When I am not writing blogs about work and careers, I work as an experienced Business Director in the Education sector. As a hiring manager, I have interviewed hundreds of candidates in the public and private sector and there is one similarity in interviews that I have seen so many times. Negotiation is something that people fear doing as they worry that it will decrease their chance of landing the job or promotion. There is something to consider as I write this. The reality is a lot of business owners will be paying staff out of their reserves right now. These are not easy times. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t ask for non-monetary benefits like a laptop, CPD or flexible working along with a six month salary review.
How many times have you thought you need more education, experience or more years in the job before you feel at ease asking for more money or for the promotion? You do need experience and to know what you are talking about, but you also need to challenge your brain when it says you are just ‘winging it.’ Let people give you the positive feedback when it is due and take it! This kind of feedback will help you to embrace the fact that you are good at your job and could be ready for the next step in your career. You can be proud that you made a difference and added value at work today, even if it it was a really small thing.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t ask for non-monetary benefits like a laptop, CPD or flexible working along with a six month salary review.
Do Not Underestimate Your Talents
We work hard! We are very good at keeping things from falling apart and meeting deadlines at work. We also tend to under-estimate our contribution. Start drawing attention to your professional strengths. Start thinking about the bigger picture and focus less on the minor tasks. Connect your thinking to something that will help your employer further. Acquire new skills and combine them with the ones you already possess. This will help you feel so much more confident.
Do Not Strive For Absolute Perfection
The very thought of a possible failure scares us a great deal. We are risk-averse and care about consequences of incorrect decisions. If we want to shatter the glass ceiling, we need to realise that no-one expects us to be perfect. Therefore, we should leave the fear behind and assert ourselves in the workplace. If you mess up, then transform it into a valuable learning experience.
Do Be True to Your Values and Principles
The decisions you make may not be popular, but you have to make the decision you feel is right and best for you. Ask yourself: Do my actions match the words I speak?
Do Accept You Will Never Have All The Answers
It doesn’t make sense to go for a job that you feel you will excel at. Instead, go for the job that will take you out of your comfort zone. It is this job that will help you grow the most.
Do Ignore The Pedestal
Junior staff are inclined to put senior staff on a pedestal. No-one knows everything and there are many times that a senior leader requires the expertise of a junior staff member. It is a two way street.
In Conclusion
If you are thinking about making the move or having a meeting with your boss about a promotion, contact your professional counterparts in the industry to find out as much as you can about what working in the new role would involve. By networking and seeking counsel from mentors and experts, you will have a brilliant advantage. Additionally, there will come a time when you are offering your expertise to others.
Go through the job description and do a skills audit to note any gaps you may have. In some cases, you can easily fill those gaps before applying, just by searching online or watching ‘how to’ videos online. Do not go to the interview feeling like the underdog. Sell yourself and demonstrate that you can make the leap and do the job well. Your determination will pay off if you can show the interviewers your confidence. This will make you ready to soar through the imaginary glass ceiling.
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Parr Business Consultancy Services 