The fact remains: The balance between men and women when it comes to career advancement and salary is still nowhere near equal. But that’s no reason not to strive for equality and the best you deserve in your chosen profession.
Gender should never be an excuse or hindrance to ultimate career success. While men can be more aggressive in pursuing their top career goals, women also have the power to aggressively compete. AOL Jobs offers nine steps to doing just that.Cultivate the people in charge. Figuring out who has the most powerful voice in the room is the first key to your success. The second is devising strategies to attract their interest in your career.
Mentors are important for giving you guidance on your career. Sponsors are more critical because they’re the ones banging on the table to bring you on for a new job or assignment.
Accordingly, you must treat them differently. Rosalie Mandel, a principal at accounting firm Rothstein Kass, recommends telling your mentor the good, the bad and the ugly and telling your sponsor only the good.
“The sponsor has heavy political capital and can place you into your next slot,” she says. “The mentor needs to know everything about you so they can help you grow and guide you.”