Tips to Young Workingwomen for Successful Career Management

Disclaimer:

This article does not necessarily represent the views or official position of my organization, Pfizer, or any of our leaders / colleagues, but is solely based on my personal views, ideas and opinions. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Over the last few years, I came across many young, aspirational workingwomen in India, who had often quoted their struggles in managing their career plans and family demands, and sought advice. Here is my article that gives a few tips to workingwomen (specifically to those in India) for managing their careers successfully. I hope it provides some relevant helpful tips.

Whether it is a man or a woman, one’s career can be managed only by diligent & intelligent efforts. Without a plan and its execution, you are taking a chance with your career, and/or are betting on your luck which might seldom work. Occasionally, luck may favor but not all the time. I have never seen anyone become a legend in his/her field merely by chance, without any planning and hard work. This is the reality. In summary, if you want to be successful in your career, ‘design your future and don’t resign to your fate’.

It’s undeniable that women face several challenges in managing their careers. Some of these challenges can be mitigated with support from their managers; many good organizations nowadays provide flexibility at work and offer several support mechanisms for women colleagues. A few challenges that women face can be handled well with the support of family members; recognize that your family is also a big part of your growth story; your beloved ones do share your career goals as well and can support you in many different ways. There will however be many factors which might not be in your control, for example, a compelled relocation to another city/country to join husband, a long career break due to maternity and other family demands etc. But women have the capability and capacity to manage most of these challenges by themselves.

This article focuses on what women can possibly do in order to manage their careers successfully. You can call it as the “6-E Formula for Success”. This is not an all-inclusive list of tips though. Also, some of the advice given below is also relevant to men.

1) EDUCATE yourself regularly:

Science is ever evolving. Global economy is constantly changing. Customer interests, demands and buying trends are changing rapidly. The ways by which we do business, work and interact with colleagues and internal / external customers are changing. Regulations are changing day-by-day across the world. Yesterday’s knowledge is becoming obsolete. What we know today will be superseded with something else tomorrow. When there is so much change everywhere every day in every aspect of life, our academic degrees alone don’t help us remain relevant for long. There is a real need for all of us, including both men and women, to seek new knowledge and shred old information quite regularly. Keep a watch on industry trends and identify those skills that are needed most to make you better educated and well-prepared for the future. Take guidance from your senior colleagues and mentors and register for courses either on-line or as distance-learning / part-time / weekend study programs. Especially when a woman is on a career break or on a long leave due to family reasons (or demands), online certification courses can be a good option to best-utilize the time. With additional relevant certifications and diplomas, you will score higher than others and will certainly look distinct. This will increase your chances to get additional opportunities, expanded roles, special project assignments, etc. Many good companies nowadays sponsor such on-job academic programs (fully or partially) or support sabbatical leaves to encourage the promising, high-potential employees as a retention strategy. Going back to books can be daunting once you get into a demanding job, but if you are ambitious, you need to make extra efforts and find a way to manage your work, your family and your self-development, all with a balance.

2) EQUIP yourself with latest technological tools:

Like how the information is getting obsolete, the tools and processes of working are changing drastically with a focus on doing faster, cheaper and better. With the technological revolution and increase in Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven processes, no-one can ever afford to be a technology-illiterate in any field, irrespective of one’s education and training. The whole world is now in digital race. The companies which are ahead in the race can progress better than the rest in the business.

I like to share one of my personal experiences regarding the need to be adaptable to changing technology. As a post-graduate in pharmacy, with no computer education, I took up a regulatory affairs role in pharma industry; my job, viz., making product dossier submissions to health authorities, demanded heavy use of computers for data management, review and organization. Then in 90s, we only had a DOS based software called “WordStar” which allowed us to print each dossier (several hundreds of pages) on a Dot-matrix printer using perforated paper, where the page breaks, margins etc. often had to be managed manually; added challenges were with inclusion of pictorial representations, schematic diagrams, huge data tables, etc. Everything changed when Microsoft (Windows) launched Word-95 and later Word-97; WordStar and Dot-matrix printers disappeared from market slowly. We had to shift to the all-new MS-Word, without a choice, for making our product dossiers. But the change was good; MS-Word made our work easier, more consistent and led to more beautiful, more elegant and faster output. Similarly, in the 21st century we evolved from bulky, numerous, bound, paper copies to electronic submissions. The technological upgradation never stopped; the digitalization is in further progress, as agencies continue to evaluate better ways of receiving, maintaining, modifying, archiving & retrieving the voluminous information with greater simplicity and systematization.

Technological revolution touches not just pharmaceutical industry, but everyone, and it is a part of our day-to-day life like the gadgets we use. Hence, no industry can fence and distance itself from technology these days in order not only to survive but to sustain and succeed for long. With such technological revolution everywhere, those professionals who have the know-how of the digital tools and can manage AI-based processes with ease will always be in greater demand. Like the knowledge is getting obsolete day-by-day, these tools are replaced with next versions, like our iPhones and iOS. In order to stay afloat in career successfully, you need to get trained on the latest tools, as relevant to your job and upgrade yourself on regular basis.

3) EXPLORE, EXPERIMENT, EXPERIENCE:

A study shows that women generally tend not to apply for any higher position unless they are sure that they meet all the criteria set for the position. The same study also shows that men, on the other hand, tend to apply to various positions, irrespective of their fitment level. It shouldn’t be concluded though that women score low on self-confidence or courage than men, but it could be because women are, in general, relatively more respectful of the details and the rules and they like to be perfect in whatever they do. Thus, the advice to all the career-minded women is to understand their own passion, interest and aspirations in life, and explore relevant, diverse opportunities that they come across, without thinking too much about their fitment. It is my opinion that there is no one who is a perfect fit in any role all the time. In this ever-changing world, we all are trying to learn on job and trying to be better day-by-day, although we are not perfect yet.

Without always eyeing only on vertical movement, you also need to consider lateral moves into diverse fields which will make you a well-rounded professional, multiplying your future chances of upward progress. One of my mentors started as a production supervisor, moved later to plant engineering & maintenance department, and then to supply chain etc. When the management was looking for a right person to lead the entire plant, his experience in different aspects of plant operations was well-recognized and he became an automatic choice, even superseding his seniors. As the plant head, his diverse experience enabled him to understand the challenges, concerns and pain points of each function more empathetically thus bringing a wholistic leadership to the organization. In today’s world, no experience is irrelevant. Be a specialist in your field but also make bold moves to experiment and gain experience in different allied functions within the organization; this will make you qualify better for higher positions later.

4) EXCELLENCE in Everything:

About 20 years ago, I happened to have seen a wonderful quote displayed prominently at workplace in a courier company office; it read as - “He who performs small jobs with passion and perfection, will be given big jobs”. This quote deeply stayed in my mind and heart over the years. Such a beautiful inspiring quote! In the courier company, those days, the job of receiving, sorting and bundling the envelops (or parcels) as per their intended destination was a very monotonous, laborious, repetitive job, but it is required to be done with no errors, yet with a reasonable speed. The quote at that workplace seemed to be a reminder to all employees on this expectation of quality and speed of deliveries. Isn’t it true that sometimes some of us either don’t get excited enough to take up “small” tasks, or, when we are required to do, are half-hearted in focus, commitment and performance? Generally, the tendency of the majority is only to get involved in big, super significant, complex, challenging, high visibility tasks, leaving the so-called “small” trivial tasks to others. But it is necessary that somebody in the organization must do these tasks and, in fact, do with excellence.

No job is ever mean or meaningless, just as the minor task of tightening a small bolt in a big machine is super-critical to make the machine run well without a break-down. I have seen some bosses testing their colleagues by giving small tasks to them and watching how they perform these and what attitude and excellence they do display in performing such small tasks. A commitment for quality in everything that we do is one simple straightforward success mantra that works wonders for sure. Many of the fresh graduates when they come straight from universities are likely to be put on small tasks at the start of their career, but those who deliver on these small assignments with great passion and excellence, fully putting their heart, head and hands in the task, will go a long way in their careers. ‘It is not my job’ is a sure career-spoiler. If you are excellence-focused, quality-obsessed, uncompromising perfectionist, you have a powerful attitude; it is a great strength; it makes you create a masterpiece of everything that you do and leave your mark of quality. This will in turn attract greater opportunities to you.

5) ENGAGE & EXHIBIT yourself:

If you are ambitious, one smart right thing to do is “being noticed” for good reasons. Many talented women (also men) lose opportunities when they are not widely known for their work and worth, and then they complain that the world is not fair. I don’t mean that you must be loud or flashy; this will never work anyway. You should be sound but not loud; you should be bright but not flashy. What I recommend is that you must keep looking for, and take up, opportunities beyond your normal work and give your best and let your potential be widely recognized by the world.

For example, if there is a chance to make a presentation, volunteer. Go forward and take initiatives; it can be anything that can benefit others in the team or in the broader organization, such as circulating the highlights (or summary) of a latest advancement in your field or a newly published article in a scientific journal, or writing and sharing review of a good leadership development book that you just read, etc. Take up speaking opportunities when possible; sign up as a trainer for juniors in the area where you are best. Every good organization conducts many employee engagement activities. These are real opportunities to take part and showcase your leadership, organizational abilities, adaptability, ability to work in diverse teams, etc. Volunteer for these as you can and excel. When someone asks to represent your team, go and do it. When you have been included in a discussion, participate and give your 200%, bringing value to the table; be bold and share new ideas that well-reflect your thought process, creativity, courage, communication skills, etc. Display your energy, enthusiasm, positivity, can-do attitude, team spirit and so on. Not limiting yourself to your “official” duties, offer help to others in speeding up a critical project; go above & beyond your day-to-day work. Partner with colleagues across the organization to contribute more than what is expected from you.

Be audible. Be visible. Be noticeable. Apart from doing your job very well, if you are able to focus on those additional engagement opportunities, you will score more; this will also speak of your efficiency in managing your work, time, energy, etc., and when the management is looking for new leaders, you will have greater chances of being picked up, as you are already known for your excellence at what you do and also for your other key skills and leadership potential.

6) EXPECTATION Management:

We cannot deny the fact that working women, generally speaking, have to balance both career-demands and family-demands efficiently. With the limitations of time, energy and attention span that we all struggle with these days, the success certainly lies in how one manages the conflicting priorities, demands and distractions from different aspects of life. For example, if you have school-going children, train them to be independent and develop them to be self-reliant as soon and as much as possible. Instill a sense of discipline and a habit in them of studying on their own every day. Teach them how to prepare a sandwich when mom is away or busy so that they won’t starve helplessly, and you don’t have to lose your peace of mind over them. Groom them to be confident individuals who can manage a situation smartly even in the absence of an elder around them. Let them know firmly that mom will not be there to do their homework nor will burn midnight lamp with them to monitor their studies before an exam. I don’t mean to say that you should shirk your responsibilities; my only advice is to not make them too dependent on you. When adult assistance is needed that you cannot provide any way, look for external help or partner with other parents; also, teach the kids the skills of collaborating with other kids and the ability to manage when situation demands. Similarly, when there are elderly at home, you need to manage their expectations and emotions efficiently, without compromising on the care that they need to lead a comfortable, healthy & happy life. For example, when you are required to focus extra time on your work, let the family members be aware and accept a simple meal, or settle with Swiggy or Uber Eats instead! I don’t mean to say that you should dilute your support to your beloved ones or place work above family; my advice is that you need to ensure that there is a self-manageable support mechanism, a DIY system, an adjustment attitude in place at home, when work takes over you at times; this is quite reasonable. But, when the family really needs your presence or engagement, make sure to be there for them without fail.

You may also need to manage the expectations of your manager, peers and colleagues at work, when your family needs you more. There will be many ways in which the organization can support you, viz., work-from-home option or flexi-hours arrangement or shorter work week or sharing of the projects with others, etc., when your family-demands outweigh work-demands.

You don’t have to sacrifice on family-front or on career-front; it need not be an either-or situation. You don’t have to burn out yourself by over-stretching on both sides either; this is dangerous in long run and will kill your overall ability and agility. You must acknowledge that you (or anyone in fact) are not indispensable to the organization. There will always be a way to manage the work when you are taken over by a crisis at home. A good organization understands your needs well. Ask for help so you pass through the situation smoothly and get back to work in full force once the situation settles. If expectations are managed well, there will be less disappointments and less displeasure, and there will be greater acceptance of yourself and acknowledgment of your situation, and greater support to you at home and at office as well.

The last words:

These are a few tips to career-minded young women for managing their career successfully. Workingwomen certainly do face challenges at home and at work as well, due to the demands from both these worlds. Like the popular quote says, every problem has a solution. There will always be many ways to deal with the challenges; women shouldn’t hesitate to engage their family members, colleagues, managers and the organization in seeking support appropriately and find ways to manage these challenges efficiently.

* Be creative in approach; what worked for one may not work for you.

* Be bold; ask for support without shying away when needed.

* Be positive. Be focused. Be adaptable. Be open to new ideas.

* Be collaborative; form or join women support groups at work or outside the work to socialize the problems that workingwomen face; collective wisdom and group effort can work much more effectively. You can contribute with ideas and solutions for the greater benefit of many other workingwomen like you.

There is so much focus and commitment from organizations on diversity and inclusion everywhere these days. These are the best times for every career-oriented woman. There is so much support around. What is needed is initiative and involvement of self in creating a better environment and a better future for all. Like Mahatma Gandhi said, you should be the change that you wish to see…

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