5 Top Tips for working in a male-dominated environment

Starting a new job can be scary enough, but when you’re moving into an industry where men outnumber women by 5:1 it can be even more daunting. The world of FX, and financial services in general, has always been known to be a male-dominated sector. On International Women's Day, we sat down with three of the women at Birchstone Markets to hear more about their experience and top tips for thriving in the industry.

1. Know your strengths, and own them

The findings from a Hewlett Packard report which said that men will apply for a job when they meet 60% of the qualifications whereas women will only apply at 100% has always amazed us. What stopped women from applying for the job was not their ability to do the job but their confidence in being able to do the job?well. It’s always tough when you start a new job and feel you need to prove yourself and studies have also shown that men are less likely than women to demonstrate vulnerability in the workplace when it comes to ability. The key is knowing your strengths, being confident in them, and backing yourself, even if you don’t have all the answers.?

2. Know that you bring something unique to the table

We talk a lot at Birchstone about wanting our clients to “feel different” when they deal with us. We spend hours discussing how to get this across in a genuine, authentic way. Often, the women in the business bring a different angle to the discussion and one that is more creative and genuinely empathetic. It’s refreshing to have a different voice and elevates the conversation. Know that whilst you may be the only woman in a team discussion, your voice is incredibly valuable, and the fact women think differently from men is our greatest asset. After all, if we can’t appeal to 50% of the population we’re probably not doing ourselves any favors!

3. Surround yourself with female role models

We often talk at Birchstone about the role of an FD or CFO being quite lonely; making decisions around Treasury on your own can be daunting. Similarly, being the only or one of a few women in an organisation can be exceptionally lonely. Seek out women who can relate to the path you’re on. This could be someone in the same field whom you feel has handled the challenges that come with being in the minority well or perhaps a friend who can understand what it is like. Building a strong support network of people who have been in your shoes can give you a sounding board for your decision-making and give you confidence in the judgments you make.?

4. When managing teams

We loved reading a recent article that talked about a woman’s “superpower” being her ability to empathize. Many studies have shown that women score exceptionally higher than men when it comes to emotional intelligence and understanding people on a deeper level. Use this to your advantage to get to know what motivates your team members and how to get the best out of them. But, be able to put emotion and bonds aside and make the tough calls when you need to. Being able to do both at the appropriate time; that’s the real superpower.??

5. For men

A recent study showed that whilst most men working in male-dominated environments want to help women succeed and “be an ally”, they often don’t know how to. Interestingly, studies have also shown that when men spoke up about sexist behavior in the workplace, they were more likely to be taken seriously than women. Be mindful of the way you communicate and the impact what one could perceive as “banter” could have on an individual with a different sense of humor. Most importantly, however, if you see or hear something that crosses the boundaries, call it out! Silence is often perceived as complicity.?