Let’s talk about that infamous glass ceiling. Is it something you’ve felt has held you back?
No, and in general I think as a woman, if the company that you are in isn’t attracting, promoting and providing opportunities for you then you should have a long think about whether it’s the right company for you. Marketing tends to attract a lot of women and is a very sought after skill, so you have options.
What’s your advice on women wanting to fast track themselves up the ladder?
I think at some point in your career it is important to build out your experience by taking a different role – perhaps in other areas of the business such as sales so that you can bring that insight back into your marketing career. Also be realistic about your mid-term life ambitions. When I knew I wanted to start a family I began planning my five year career horizon well before I got pregnant, so I changed jobs and pushed hard to get promoted knowing I was going to be more static in my career while I was on maternity leave and in the year or so after going back to work.
It’s often said women don’t negotiate pay as well as men. What’s your advice on that?
Get advice from women or men about how to negotiate pay. This is particularly important when moving to a new job or getting an internal promotion – we all deserve to be paid what we’re worth! You may also need to negotiate on flexibility when returning to work after having been out on maternity leave. It’s good to get advice on how to do that and a woman may well be more sympathetic on the topic than a man would.
How important is it for young people to have strong female role models at work?
The role senior women play in recruiting and retaining female talent, as well as acting as role models for younger women is incredibly important. I’ve been extremely lucky to have a number of female leaders – both in marketing and outside the function – to inspire and guide me. You can learn a huge amount from seeing how successful senior women operate and present themselves.
I’ve also really benefited from having female mentors and sponsors. They play a different role in your career, but will be instrumental in helping you build your presence, understand how you’re being perceived, giving you advice and providing opportunities.
Should women look for a female or male mentor?
I find women will often give more direct feedback to another woman than men feel comfortable doing, and if you really want to grow your career you need candid and specific coaching. I have male mentees too, and have had male mentors, but some of the things that you want to discuss through your life are quite specific to being a woman in the workplace and it’s good to be able to get the perspective of someone who has been in a similar position as you.
