If You Only Do 3 Things to Advance Your Career…

by Erin Risner

The most successful professional women do these three things…

Through our research and interviews with hundreds women the around the world, we’ve found the most successful professional women do these three things:

1. They are BOLD.
2. They promote themselves.
3. They build a strong support network.

These attributes may seem simple but can be daunting for many. Keep reading for practical tips, encouragement and examples in these three areas. A more confident you awaits!

FIRST: GET BOLD

Being bold can mean many things, and it certainly depends on the person, workplace, country, and circumstance. For business women who operate in a myriad of cultures with different societal norms and expectations, being bold first starts with the willingness to do so! Some good examples include:

• Be courageous in spite of difficulties, obstacles or fears.
• Do not worry unduly about mistakes you will make and failures you will have.
• Take good calculated risks.
• Step out in your workplace. Be visible and notable.
• Say what’s on your mind.
• Respectfully challenge the status quo.
• Find ways to bend, work around or if necessary even break the rules that govern what women can or should do professionally or in business.
• Dream, explore, think and act beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action.

More stories and advice to inspire your inner boldness:

• Don’t Presume the Answer is No Without Asking
• Be so Good at What You Do That Gender Won’t Matter
• Thinking Big
• Tamara Abdel-Jaber’s Success as a Tech Entrepreneur in Jordan
• Business Women, Be Bold
• Most Common Attribute of Successful Women Around the World
• FEAR.LESS magazine

SECOND: PROMOTE YOURSELF

Research indicates that one of the key factors that helps women advance their careers and businesses is their willingness to promote themselves.

“Women who are more proactive self-promoters are better able to advance their careers and increase their salaries, and are overall more professionally satisfied, than women who were less likely to make their achievements visible,” said Ilene H. Lang, president and CEO of Catalyst, a researched based organization expanding opportunities for women and business.

Since we know you are incredible and deserving of all the success in the world, we encourage you to please, be proactive in self-promotion. This means:

• Raise your hand! Step up to challenging assignments or opportunities.
• Make your achievements known.
• Ask for that raise.
• Initiate projects that will advance the role and visibility of your company.
• Take credit for your good and impressive work.
• Track your accomplishments (you can use this on your CV/resume, in a job review, when you are up for a promotion, etc).

More advice and examples to help you promote yourself:

• Communicate Your Achievements
• Let Go of the Monkey Bar
• Practice Promoting Yourself
• Nominate Yourself for a Promotion
• Track Your Accomplishments
• Three Ways to Get Ahead

THIRD: BUILD YOUR SUPPORT

Successful women build the right support base through mentors, a sponsor, and networks.

Mentors are those with whom you have good chemistry, those who help you gain insights about yourself and who hopefully give you good career advice. A sponsor works with you to identify the right next move and helps you to get it. This might be a senior manager with influence at your company who has the ability to get you considered for promising opportunities, challenging assignments, and promotions. The critical distinguishing characteristics of a sponsor are: seniority, influence, and power. And networks can come in many forms: whether personal or professional, they serve as connections to help you advance, provide leads and opportunities for growth, and can encourage and support you.

But it is up to you to harness the power of mentors, a sponsor, and networks! It takes work to cultivate the right support, but it will be fruitful and you and your career will be better for it. 

Helpful articles to further build your support:

Sponsors

• Get a Sponsor, Get one Now
• Success with a Sponsor

Mentors

• 5 Awesome Alternatives to a Mentor
• It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who Knows You: The Mentor Effect
• Why You Need a Reciprocal Mentor & How to Get One
• Paradigm Shift: Your Network as Mentor
• The Ideal Mentor
• Utilizing Thought Partners
• For your Entrepreneurial Toolbox: A Strong Support Network

Networking

• The Generosity of Super Connectors
• Men Make Business, Women Make Friends
• Don’t Just ‘Lean In’ – Lean OUT to Accelerate Your Career

We’re here for you!

We connect with dozens of women around the world, each week, who are successfully putting these three things into play. Learn from their examples and successes! We believe when women share their successes, they inspire ALL women to succeed professionally.

Let us know how we can help. We’re here cheering you on!