Q&A with Amanda Blesing, Executive Impact Specialist - career advice for women

Most of my clients who reach out to me are at a career crossroads and feel stuck. It can be a challenging time, and whether they are currently employed or in-between roles (by choice or redundancy due to organisational change), they wonder if they should?stick with what they’ve always done, or bravely make a career change and explore another sector entirely.?I work with them to get clear on what they REALLY want, and then guide them through the practical steps to take to reach their career goals.?So where are you at in your career right now?

To discuss this and get a really well-rounded view on career transitions, I've teamed up with?Amanda Blesing, ?Visibility and Executive Brand Strategist for Leading Women, both via our newsletters and also via?webinar , and this time talking about a topic that is dear to both our hearts - how to best navigate career crossroads. ?(In fact, it is the title of my book:?NAVIGATING CAREER CROSSROADS ).

In preparation for the upcoming webinar on 5 November, I asked her a question about the career advice many executive women receive as she’s found there to be a difference in the feedback provided to women versus the feedback received by men in the workplace. And this can affect their career confidence as well as their career trajectory.

Here is what she had to say.

JANE:?Amanda, have your clients found that the career advice they receive as a woman is different from the career advice given to their male colleagues?

AMANDA:?Jane, well-meaning but poor advice for women is my absolute bugbear. I’ve been on the receiving end of it and so have my clients.

It’s normally old school thinking without real consideration for the person receiving it, or even consideration for any unconscious bias that might be at play.

Feedback given to women is typically different to the feedback given to men as I learned on a recent Harvard Business Review podcast.

Bottom line: feedback for women was focused on helping them do their current job better (to fit in, to not rock the boat or to navigate better in their current situation). Whereas feedback for men was focused on helping position themselves to land that next level role.

Fffffascinating.

Some examples of advice for women that get my goat.

Women need to do the hard hards

The burden of overproof still resides with women. Women are expected to do more in order to gain the same recognition as men. In fact, it’s likely that in order to have a seat at the table, a woman needs to be equally as intelligent if not more so, than the most intelligent man in the room.

A few years ago a client of mine was told she would need to get herself onto 13 NFP boards before anyone would take her seriously.

Like, seriously?!?! WTF.

And this was on top of her huge workload establishing her own consultancy and as a single mother of two.

Bottom line: Do we really think that a man would have been given that advice? I think not.?It’s more likely that he would have been provided with tactics and actions that would help him progress.

Women need to act more like men

How many times have I heard from women who have been advised to tone it down?

“Be less passionate about your topic or you’ll put the men in the meeting off”

“Straighten your hair so they don’t come across too wild and witchy”

“Dress less feminine so you don’t stand out”

“Deepen your voice”

“Be more assertive”

The list goes on.

But when a woman does do these things, she runs the risk of leading just like a traditional bloke.?Plus the potential for the backlash that kicks in when a woman does lead like a man is real (i.e. when being assertive she is labelled as bossy).

Let’s leave the old mantra of “Big hair, big shoulder pads, go hard or go home” back in the ’80s where it belongs.

Women need to feel comfortable to lead like leading women, not like a man.

After all, women do it differently and that’s the point.

Bottom line: The equation is wrong - women don’t need to change themselves to fit in.?The system needs to change to allow women to be themselves in order for the real benefits of gender equity to be realised.?

You probably need to take a sideways move or downward step, when navigating a sector change

For the women reading this, you are as likely to even give this advice to yourself as you are to another woman. But would you give this advice to a man? And if you did would he take it?

I’m not sure we/he would.?

While I haven’t seen any research to support this, we know that when women want to head in a different direction they’ll likely do a course before they do. Whereas a man will more likely change directions and then do the course afterwards.

Anecdotally, I’ve heard from someone at a board training organisation who backed this up regarding board training courses. Women do the course before they land a board role, whereas many men would likely land the board role than do the course.

Next time a woman tells you she is at a career crossroads, be careful what you say. Don’t assume she should have to take a backward step or sideways move if she is changing sectors. After all, if she is being employed for her leadership, that often transcends sector-specific expertise anyway.?

In summary, check your bias at the door when giving advice.?If you are asked to provide advice to a woman about her career, be sure to ask yourself, what advice might I give a man? Then advise her that.

If you need help to navigate YOUR career crossroads join us for the webinar! And I'll be sharing many useful resources for you too!

WEBINAR DETAILS: FRIDAY 5 November 2021 at 12noon AEDT

Bookings via this link

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PS - If you're seeking CAREER CLARITY, join my [free] 20-minute webinar on "How to Get Clear on What Your REALLY Want in Your Career" and get started today. Register here

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Jane Jackson is a career management coach and career transition specialist, author of Navigating Career Crossroads, LinkedIn Top Voice and host of Your Career Podcast . She is on a mission to help you navigate the emotional roller coaster of a career change or redundancy and create the career that you deserve!?Check out how she can help you at www.janejacksoncoach.com