IWD 2020: Career tips from the women on our management team

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At Tiger, we feel very lucky that our management team is made up, for the most part, of strong women! However, we know this isn’t the norm and, according to research from Catalyst, only 29% of senior management roles worldwide were held by women in 2019. In the UK, we fare slightly better, with 37.2% of managers being women[1]. However, considering there are more CEOs of FTSE 100 companies named John or Dave than all women CEOs combined [2], we clearly have a long way to go in terms of gender equality in the workplace.

“There are more CEOs of FTSE 100 companies named John or Dave than all women CEOs combined”

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’ve asked some of our leaders to impart their wisdom to women entering graduate jobs and starting their careers.

Laura Glendenning, Head of Tiger Private, says: “The advice I would give to any young woman is to be yourself! You might not know quite who you are yet, or feel you need to be something you’re not to fit in, but being yourself at work is so important. It allows the real ‘you’ to shine and grow. If you can’t be you in this part of your life, you’re in the wrong place.

I wish I’d also known that failure is good, and some things won’t work out. That’s OK because that’s how you learn and progress. You’ll look back and realise even though it was tough, you learnt something valuable and it got you to where you are.

Finally – you’re going to be working for a long time! It’s hard going, so make time for you. I try to have a lunch break, leave on time and fill my week with little bits of joy. Make work part of your life, not all of it.”

Rebecca Siciliano, Managing Director, says: “No matter what task you’re given, undertake it with tenacity and positivity. I always try to put my best into everything that I do. In my experience, the people that get noticed are the ones that do the small tasks as well as the big ones.  Oh, and you are incredible. Don’t let yourself or anyone else tell you otherwise!”

Angela Lopes, Head of the City Office, says: “My biggest piece of advice for a woman looking to enter a recruitment consultant job is to always have a positive outlook in everything you do! Also, you can get anywhere you want by treating people with kindness and courtesy. If you’re passionate about this field, you should live and breathe it, because it’s hard work (but so rewarding)! It’s important to have an end goal you want to reach and know what you need to get there.

As a manager, I always try to lead by example. I never like to ask people to do things I wouldn’t do myself. When it comes to managing conflicts, it’s also important to put yourself in both parties’ shoes to understand how they feel and come up with the fairest solution. When leading a team, it’s important that you’re seen to celebrate others’ achievements, and genuinely want them to do well and succeed! Be approachable, share your knowledge and offer to help your team members when you can.”

Two female friends talking at a coffee shop

Coralie Fernando, Head of Marketing, says: “Marketing can be quite a competitive sector to get into, particularly if you have little to no experience. Give yourself a head start by emailing companies’ marketing managers in April-May of each of your university years, asking if they’d be open to taking you on as an intern over the summer holidays. You’ll then leave university with two-three summers’ worth of marketing experience and be ahead of other applicants. You may even receive a job offer following graduation!

In the early years of your career when you’re entering a marketing graduate job, I’d advise trying to keep your experience as broad as possible. By accruing a holistic set of skills and a wide range of experience, you’ll soon find your calling. Then, if you want to, you can start to specialise in your area of passion.”

Zahra Clark, Head of MENA, says: “Always dream big! I truly believe everything is achievable if you put enough work into it. Your education doesn’t always have to be a part of the equation – if you have the skill set and the drive, it’s possible. I knew I wanted to relocate to Dubai, so I set myself a target by a certain date and stuck to it. A few people around me thought my dream was unrealistic, but you can’t listen to those people! To be able to relocate overseas, you need to put in hard work, dedication and positivity.

It’s also important to live every day with this goal in mind. It’s a good idea to network and when meeting people show them you’re passionate about your work and go about it the right way. This will mean they’re going to want to work with you and you’ll be remembered. You’ll never know when they’ll be able to help you in your career!”

We hope these words of wisdom have inspired you to take the next first step in your career. If you’re ready, submit your details or check out our live job listings today!

[1] www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-management
[2] www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/women-ftse-100-gender-discrimination-pay-gap-board-representation-chief-executive-a8244361.html
Author Larissa Shearman Tiger Recruitment Team
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