How to set yourself apart in a male dominated industry
This is part one in our four part series on Women in Business.
- Part One: How to set yourself apart in a male dominated industry
- Part Two: Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a boss
- Part Three: Supporting Other Women
- Part Four: Use it to your advantage: List of successful women in history
Part One: How to set yourself apart in a male dominated industry
The perception that women are more intuitive and less rational than men is not quite accurate; this is not the truth but rather a mere stereotype. Despite “macho industry peers,” women can be viewed as more trustworthy so it is important for them to voice their opinions, even if they’re different than the norm.
This week, we have 4 great points women should consider to get their career rolling and spiced up to be set apart from male peers.
- Professionalism
Express your work ethics by the way you interact with your peers. Express yourself as a serious career woman, this can be highly interpreted by the way you approach tasks normally taken on by your male peers or take on the effort of asking your male peers how to learn from them such as problem solving. - Positive attitude
If your workplace is fair, you don’t need to prove yourself – let your intelligence and work ethic speak for themselves. The key is to not let stubbornness get in the way because it can lead to refusing to accept the need for change; instead, work through solutions and have a positive outlook. - Conversational Approaches
Women are thought to approach topics differently to men, woman tend to express add a flavour of emotion whereas men stick to facts and figures. Be aware of this, because you will need to keep in mind that your target market will be highly affected by this, this means if you’re target market is-well- everyone, then you should be variant with your choice of words, this can include saying things like “we helped clients reach to 25% more popularity” as opposed to “we helped our clients reach their goals”, this can sound a little fluffy and alter the outcome of the way your intended meaning is perceived. So stay attentive and remember to keep it nice and spicy and with a pinch of overall appeal. - Voice your opinions
A woman will often think differently from a man, this is a good advantage you can take on for the work place. New views, ideas or techniques you can implement from a woman’s perspective can certainly be an asset. If you have some brand new idea for you boss to take on for the business, go for it, if he loves it and takes action on it, then that’s fantastic you’ve just given your boss a positive outlook on you. If the idea did not progress further, the benefit does not stop there- you just voiced your opinion meaning your boss will see that you have ideas and opinions too, that you care about the progression of the company.
Girls, take a deep breath, hold your head high and stand proud. Remember to voice your opinions, approach conversations in the right manner-don’t speak femininely- be professional at all times and watch those ‘tudes!
That’s a spicy wrap up for this week’s topic on Woman Setting Themselves Apart. Next week we’re focusing on Supporting Other Women, tune in for that if you’d like to know more about Woman In Business; oh and remember, we do weekly topics so if you’re interested jump on our blog for more tips and ideas on improving your business and work ethics.
