How Women Can Shake Up Their Careers in 2021
Women are gaining more ground than ever before in every industry. That’s why it’s an ideal time for you to start thinking about changing your career or going after promotion in your current company. If you feel like you can do more, or if you’ve thought that your company is holding you back, make 2021 the year you shake up your career with these tips, courtesy of LivingWell2day.com.
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Push for a Board Appointment
One way to secure a promotion at your current company is to push for a board appointment. Calling attention to all-male board appointments is a way to get more seats at the table for women. Boards are becoming more diverse every day, especially as men are stepping down amid allegations of inappropriate behavior. And, as women become board members, companies see a culture shift.
As a board member, you will have a say in executive hiring, pay equality, high-level discrimination complaint investigations, and executive promotion approvals. You also will be able to examine the ways in which the company searches for and hires new employees, and you can make sure that women are not being shut out of the process.
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Look for a New Job in a Woman-Dominated Industry
If you are in an industry dominated by men and worry about discrimination and glass ceilings, make the jump to a woman-dominated industry. Monster highlights a few of the industries where women rule, including childcare services, home healthcare services, veterinary services, social services, educational services, libraries and archivists, accountants, legal services, employment services, and leisure and hospitality. These industries have closed the pay gap and make sure that women have a voice and a clear career path that promotes based on merit rather than gender.
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Start a Business
Reshaping your career can come in many forms, and one of the more exciting solutions is entrepreneurship. If you dream of leading a company of your own, perhaps it’s time to explore the possibilities. You might even have an idea you’re toying with, but if not, examine trending businesses to see if something jumps out at you.
With a sound idea to get behind, lay the groundwork for your business. This involves selecting a name and business structure. Your name should be catchy and logical so customers know what you do and remember what your business is called.
As far as structure, you might consider an LLC. It’s a popular choice due to the asset protection it provides, tax perks, and ease of establishment; you just need to partner with an online service, they’ll walk you through a few steps. After that, you can think about things like your business plan and marketing strategies.
Another option is to start your own team in a well-established MLM (multi-level marketing) company promoting quality, popular products. One current up-and-coming example is the CBD company – Arieyl.com. You don’t have to stock products, people can sign up for free as a wholesale customer or join you in making a career for minimal cost.
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Protect Your Reputation
Social media is a double-edged sword for working women. On the one hand, the networking power offered by sites like Facebook and LinkedIn can be a big advantage when searching for jobs or creating partnerships. However, one simple, online search can also inform a prospective partner or employer intimate details of your personal life, from your favorite coffee spot to where your kids go to school to who you supported in the last election. This personal information usually isn’t applicable to your professional life. So, it’s best to keep them separate.
To protect your reputation, you should start by making all of your social media accounts private. That way, only people you approve can cross the virtual line between work and life. Not only does this help protect you from personal attacks, but it can also help protect the company you own or work for. If you haven’t already, you should also put together an online reputation management plan for your business to help you address negative feedback, combat hate websites, and respond to negative media coverage.
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Pursue a Career That You Love
Career coaches tell women all the time they should pursue a career they love, especially when they are unhappy with their current career or feel stuck. Career coach Kathy Caprino recommends that women step back and gain an empowered perspective on who they are and what they want before attempting to switch careers. In some cases, this might mean you’ll need to strike out on your own, requiring you to start your own business.
If that is the case, make sure you start out properly. Create a formal business plan to help you hone in on your goals and how you’ll reach them, and register your venture with your state. By beginning things in the most professional manner possible, you’ll be set up for success, right from the start.
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Don’t Think It’s Too Late
One mistake women often make that holds them back in their career is assuming it’s too late to change careers. The truth is, more and more women realize that they are unhappy in their current career path and then take the plunge into a different career, even later in life. You can take a second stab at a career no matter your age, and you can take some advice from women who already have done so.
If you’re one of the millions of stay-at-home moms who want to kick-start your career after your kids start school or leave the nest, you can do so, too. In many cases, women want to pursue a different career after kids because they don’t want their former high-stress career. That’s when you should perform a self-assessment, explore your career interests, and make contact with your alumni association, former colleagues, or others in your professional network. Don’t forget to update your skills, resume, and online professional profile.
Then, let go of the thinking, patterns, and behaviors that hold you back. When you do, you’ll be ready to accept your vision for your next chapter and explore it. Give yourself time to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely to measure your success on your new career path.
In 2021, there is no reason for you to feel like you are stuck in a career that you don’t love until you retire. Consider pushing for a board appointment or other promotion. Or, look for a new job in an industry ruled by women. Whatever you do, make sure that you don’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s too late to start over or pursue a career that fulfills you.
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