Women: If you could give career advice to your younger self, what would you say?

[Anonymous]

Don’t pick a career bc you want to help people and bc it will be flexible once you have kids. I pigeonholed myself and aimed lower than I should have. I should have done something in business/finance and worried about kids when I actually had them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious.

I am better than most of the guys talking over me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a Ph.D. in education.

I would have taken the time to become a licensed clinical psychologist.

Better yet, I wanted to become a medical doctor.

My family didn't "believe" in childcare (daycare) or "strangers raising your children." I supported my family so much. My family was not supportive of me at all.

I would have married young and had children young. I never married or had kids. It's a good thing. I struggled so much as a first generation college student. I didn't struggle financially because I always found a way.

It's not easy to see how the people closest to you can bring you down like crabs in a bucket.

Also, I am old at mid 50s. I was never a gamer. I feel checkmated throughout life by people who are better at playing the game. I took life too seriously.

+1 to the checkmated and crabs in a bucket and childcare/no family support. I would have prioritized my career and had the kids anyway.

[Anonymous]

Find out salary of men at your position whose job profile is the same as yours. If you are getting paid less than them, take up a fight with the management.

I am someone who got paid 40-50% less than other equivalent men for a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Find out salary of men at your position whose job profile is the same as yours. If you are getting paid less than them, take up a fight with the management.

I am someone who got paid 40-50% less than other equivalent men for a long time.

Good luck sister. I was paid less. I had to get a lawyer, I got paid in the end. But, it ended my career. Most of the bosses including HR were women, go figure.

[Anonymous]

Save and invest your money in your 20s. It will buy you freedom later.

Don't marry badly because you are getting older. Nothing can screw your life up like a bad husband. Stay single and sane and employed.

[Anonymous]

Don’t have kids if you really want to dedicate yourself at work and not be limited because you’re a woman and naturally made the primary parent.

[Anonymous]

Don’t let your career take a backseat to your spouse’s career, ESPECIALLY if you’re the one with high earning potential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Save and invest your money in your 20s. It will buy you freedom later.

Don't marry badly because you are getting older. Nothing can screw your life up like a bad husband. Stay single and sane and employed.

lol too late for me to see this.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I would have never went to college at all and started working a clerical job after high school. These were plentiful and easily attainable at that time. By the time I was ready to settle down with a family I would have had ton of experience and would be able to have moved up to a legal secretary position making more than many people with degrees and have no college/grad school debt to repay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t stay working in a toxic environment just because the role is helping save the world. The world is already effed. Prioritize your mental well-being and get thee to a company that takes the treatment of its employees seriously.

You MUST leave the company if you are not promoted on the timeline you expect and deserve. This is the only way to break through the glass ceiling.

Solve conflict at the lowest level possible.

Show up to your role with radical sincerity. Make work a place where it’s safe for others to be human, express vulnerability, and own their mistakes. Share your shortcomings and what you’ve learned from them. Be a mentor.

Discuss the importance of compensation openly.

Be aware that people will give you their shit if you’re willing to take it.

Run to the front when your team is under fire. Step to the back when the accolades come pouring in. This is true leadership.

+ 1 million to all of this.

I would have agreed with all but I have been in environments where the minority of bosses did the opposite for the bolded and no one knew the better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't have a kid with special needs?

Sigh.

Amen. Career killer

[Anonymous]

Aim higher.
Save more.
Learn to network and kiss a$$ when necessary but not ethically wrong.

[Anonymous]

Aim higher
Be strategic
Don't be a helper
Use your youth
Be confident but not arrogant
You have to work twice as hard as men and prove yourself, there is no way around this. Accept it.
Be a worker bee and network internally. Talk to people, socialize.
Be visible to the right people
You are being watched. If you want to move up, care about how you're perceived

[Anonymous]

Two things:

1. Generally, you’re doing great. Your instincts are correct. Follow the good people, which is more important than the actual work you’re hired to do.

2. Don’t quit work altogether. Your kids don’t need you to SAH- they’re doing great regardless. You won’t be happy without some paid work. PT is good, too!