How long does a woman have to work in order to obtain a C level job once she starts her career?
Too long!
Women now make up nearly 60% of college graduates in the US as well as more than 50% of graduate school classes in many traditional mainly male fields, including law and medicine. Yet despite these gains, equality has not been reached in business especially at the most senior level.
If you believe, as I do, that getting more women to the “c-suite” and the board table is important, then we need more insight. First, we need to gain a greater understanding of why high-potential women do not choose to enter business at the same rates as their male peers. Second, for those who do choose to enter, we need to understand why these professional women exit at greater rates than do professional men. With this insight in hand, we can create new programs and pathways for supporting women across all phases of their careers
While there is no silver bullet, a growing body of evidence suggests that there are three key decision points, or pivot points, where women face issues that are unique biologically and culturally. These pivot points introduce predictable stressors into adult women’s lives and mean that, on average, high potential women experience career choices, goals, and trade-offs differently than do high-potential men with similar education and experience.
If we can find new and better ways to support women through these pivot points, we can increase the flow into the senior executive ranks. Conversely, if we continue to overlook, or only partially address, the unique needs of high-potential women, large portions of this great talent pool will never get near the C-Suite roles.
The three pivot points:
- The Launch
Starting your career well in your 20s and early 30s.
- The Mid-career Marathon
Sustaining focus in your mid-30s and 40s.
- The Executive Transition
Proving that you can handle it by taking the senior-leadership role in your late 40s, 50s, and beyond.
If we can get 25 percent more women to apply to business school; if we can get 25 percent more women to take business jobs early on and if we can get 25 percent more women to stay in the full-time work force during the mid-career years; if we can surround our strongest senior women with the support they need to reach for the biggest jobs, we could finally begin to realize our full potential as a society that espouses equal rights for all.
I believe in networking and asking for informational interviews from woman you admire that made it to that C-Level position. Sharing the highs and lows of their personal story is a powerful way to inspire others. The use of anecdotes and key defining moments can act as an enabler for those who may be looking for a mentor or coach for direction.
I have coached many women to make that career pivot during their executive transition, with information regarding compensation, mistakes, regrets, success secrets and more.
Let me help you break your glass ceiling.
Send me an email at cindy@cindyfassler.com.