Employers are gradually being educated about the importance of inclusivity in hiring practices, with the likes of gender-neutral job descriptions and data compliance surrounding protected characteristics. However, some of these meaningful changes can take time and it’s equally important to feel empowered with the knowledge of their strengths and perceived weaknesses.On International Women’s Day 2022, we wanted to pull together a few tips for women looking for work right now.
1. Be Confident in Your Abilities
More often than not, the job advert in front of you will overreach. If you know when reading the requirements that you excel at what you do, don’t be put off from submitting your application — even if you don’t meet 100% or even 80% of their criteria. Always consider the potential in the role for you and your career and the transferable skills that you already possess.
2. Value Yourself
Alongside confidence in what you can bring to the table, be prepared to talk about your strengths. According to a study in the National Bureau of Economic Research, even when aware that the score they gave themselves would impact their recruitment/salary, women consistently self-promoted less than other groups. In fact, on average the women studied scored themselves 46/100 versus 61/100 for men.
In essence, try not to worry about how you might be perceived by sharing your successes. Do your best to avoid focusing on areas you might feel need improvement, and instead reframe to focus on what you did well, valuing who you are, what you bring & how you bring it. This is especially relevant in quarterly/annual reviews or introductory hiring interviews.
You’re the one with the most knowledge about your strengths, so be the first to value and position the benefit of who you are !
3. Be Aware of Gendered Language
What is Gendered Language?
Gendered language is commonly understood as language that has a bias towards a particular sex or social gender.
In 2011, a series of studies published in the Journal of Personality & Social Psychology by Gaucher, Friesen & Kay, found that use of words typically identified as “masculine” perpetuated gender-inequality in male-dominated fields.
Their studies identified words such as assertive, confident, competitive, independent and outspoken as masculine, and words like considerate, cooperative, honest, responsive and supportive as feminine.
At Aquent, we filter all our job posts to stray away from gendered language to encourage everyone with the right experience to apply for new o. It is worth noting that when constructing your CV, you should be mindful of how it will be perceived.
4. Show Your Traits
Highlight what makes you stand out in your application, checking the values of the brand that you’re applying for and considering how you align with them. Tailor your CV / cover letter to match the job description, highling your experience in a professional or volunteering subject. If you don’t have the exact matching experience but have done similar tasks that you believe are transferable, note these.
5. Know Flexibility Is Strength
In Aquent’s UK 2021 Talent Insights Report, we found that women valued flexible work arrangements over career advancement and higher compensation (where men ranked each of those three in reverse). Despite that, 98% of all respondents said they wanted to work remotely at least some of the time.
You should know that you don’t have to compromise between any of these. Asking for flexibility in a new contract, or negotiating it in an existing one — for whatever reason — shouldn’t come with sacrificing progression or compensation
Aquent is an equal opportunities employer and no matter how you identify, we can help find you your next role. Check out our latest opportunities at https://aquent.nl/find-work/.
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