Every year on International Women’s Day, we celebrate women’s rights, their successes, and their silent struggles. It’s a day to reflect on gender parity, both at work and outside of work, and to celebrate the wins that happen every year for women everywhere.
This year, as part of our Celebrating the Women of Helio series, we asked our female colleagues to share one key piece of advice they believe every woman should know. We collated their answers and came up with 10 career tips every working woman should know to succeed and thrive in her job.
1) There’s no wrong timing in your career
We are all constantly under pressure comparing ourselves to others. Society pushes us to compete against each other and against an unrealistic timeline.
Take the time to learn more about what you are passionate about. Be brave enough to make mistakes, learn new things even if that takes longer than you originally planned. When you eventually reach where you want to be, you will realise that the timing and everything else made sense.
2) Be confident even if you are not 100% ready
If you’re a working woman, do not wait until you feel completely ready. Many people move forward with much less confidence and still succeed.
If you wait until you are 100% prepared, it may prevent you from taking opportunities. Believing that you can succeed is often what makes the difference.
3) Be confident in yourself and your capabilities
Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of why you are doing what you do because of the lows that can happen in any professional career.
Do not let imposter syndrome drive your decisions, even if it occasionally appears. You are a professional because your skills and knowledge are valuable in the context where you operate. Be confident and believe in the value you bring to the table.
4) Don’t be afraid of curiosity
Whoever said curiosity and asking questions at work are poorly perceived, or make you seem less understanding or knowledgeable is wrong.
Being curious and asking question will only benefit your own knowledge and the more you have it, the more confident and empowered you become.
Curiosity is a strength, so always stay inquisitive.
5) Document your achievements
Always keep track of your achievements. Write them all in one place instead of relying solely on your memory.
Mark what has gone right and what you would like to improve. This way, when it comes to appraisals or discussions about progression, you can look back and have an overview of your contribution and progress.
6) Stay true to your values
In many professional environments, women can feel pressured to adopt others’ views in order to seek approval or fit in.
There’s nothing more important than sticking to your own values and remembering that workplaces genuinely need you because of that value you bring. Even if sometimes things might get hard, you are still doing an exceptional job.
7) Use the right language in business
When replying to emails, make sure you pay attention to the words you are using. You may not realise it, but the wording you use might undermine yourself.
Words like ‘just’, or phrases like ‘if that’s okay’, or ‘no worries if not’, are usually the most common examples.
The next time you are writing an email, stop for a second and remove any these conditional words or phrases and you will realise that your message now sounds much more direct and confident.
8) Surround yourself with the right community
Having the right people beside you can be a gamechanger, especially in a working environment.
Surround yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed. There are so many individuals willing to share their time, guidance and support, especially with women building their careers. Seek that out, whether through mentorship programmes, professional communities or women-focused networking events.
These spaces allow you to meet likeminded people who will challenge your perspectives, support your growth, and enrich you as a professional.
9) Be an ally to other women
Having a supportive network is important. If you are a working woman in a more senior position, being an ally to other women in business can make a real difference.
Supporting other women that may have just started in their career or who are seeking guidance creates a supportive environment where everyone can grow and thrive.
10) Working women and parenthood
Being both a working woman and a parent can be challenging and sometimes it can come as a limitation. Make sure you have a strong supportive network made up of family, colleagues and friends that you can rely on.
Set your priorities and limitations between work and home. Remember that you cannot do everything at once and be everywhere at once. And if you are a mother struggling between balancing your private life and working life, remember that no matter what, you are doing your best and that you are enough.
Huge thanks to all the women of Helio who took part in this series:
Amber Sheikh, Anne Bartusevicius, Becky Edwards, Beth Spencer, Etmonia Iwugo, Flavia Scotton, Georgie Cottell, Hattie Ireland, Jemba Valerio, Jenna Bezahaf, Jenni Kortelainen, Ksenia Duxfield-Karyakina, Oli Foster, Soukaina Chouaib, Tiffany Jenkins, Tonje Leirvik, Viktoriia Bystra, Yichia Tang.
