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 We'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along to the "Step up:
Owning your career as a woman in technology" event which we co-hosted with Accenture on Thursday 18th March 2010 at their offices on Fenchurch Street, London. There was a great turnout with no spare seats in the room at all. This was the third networking event we've co-hosted with Accenture and we'd like to thank them for their on going support of womenintechnology
"No-one cares about your career as much as you do" - this was opening
line of Dr
Suzanne Doyle-Morris' keynote presentation on "Step Up -
Owning Your Career as a Woman in Technology". Her talk concentrated on
three key things that successful women are doing in their careers:
Kissing Frogs, Taking Their 10% and Cashing in Their Chips. - Kissing Frogs is about looking for interesting opportunities, that possibly don't look too much fun at the outset but that will enhance your career in the long run - e.g. moving country, changing career or putting yourself in the spotlight.
- Taking Your 10% is about spending 10% of your week on raising your profile, letting people know what you're up to and realising that "you can't win the game, if you're not in the game". Look out for speaking opportunities - whether that's at events, conferences, to the board or simply at team meetings; Get published; Make sure your boss knows when you've been praised and essentially work hard at promoting yourself and your work and becoming better known.
- Cashing in Your Chips is about realising that there's no shame in asking for help. Women are good at giving advice and help but are not so good at asking for help - no man has got to the top with out support and there's no reason you have to succeed totally on your own so consider reaching out and make sure you benefit from both give and take in the office.
Suzanne recommended the audience should act on two or three of the ideas they liked and one they didn't in order to take ownership of their career and step us as a woman in IT!
Suzanne is the Director of Doyle Morris Coaching and
Development, an organisation that works to help companies retain and develop
their valuable, well-trained female executives, particularly those in
traditionally male-dominated fields. More information about her book "Beyond the Boys’ Club: Strategies for Achieving Career Success as a Woman Working in a Male Dominated Field" can be found here: www.beyondtheboysclub.com/
On the Q&A panel with Suzanne were Arabel Bailey and Emma McGuigan, Senior Executives, Technology Growth Platform at Accenture and Margaret Spink, Senior Executive, BPO Mobilization, Accenture. They discussed various topics including career breaks and the frustration many women experience in getting back into work after an extended break - the audience were reminded that within business "you're only as good as your last project or your last review" and to bear this mind when applying for a new job. The importance of having mentors was mentioned - male and/or female - but make sure there is the right rapport and the best mentor is probably someone you admire - ask them if they might consider being your mentor.
Some of the other tips that came out of the Q&A were:
- Fake it until you make it
- Decide what you want to be known for
- Negotiate hard - ask for something you think is really ridiculous!
- Use 'I' instead of 'we' - especially in reviews or when applying for promotion (be the most boastful you can be)
- Make your point and then shut up (don't justify it)
- Be aware of the imposter syndrome and that most people experience it at some point
- Be aware of your own perceptions of yourself (they might not be what other people think)
- Own your own space
- Everyone has down moments in their career i.e. no-one has ever had a problem-free career
- It's not a weakness to ask for help
- Rather than concentrating on what went wrong ask yourself, how could I have done this better?
If you are interested in
potentially working for Accenture, more information about their current open
roles can be found here. |
