Professional Self-Advocacy for Women: Why and How You Should Start Practicing It Now
Have you ever shied away from asking for a promotion or raise at work?
Was it difficult to speak up and share your idea in the last meeting you attended?
Did you find yourself saying “yes” to a new project despite having no room left on your plate?
These are all situations that call for self-advocacy. However, the reality is, despite how frequently these situations occur, most of us have not mastered the art of self-advocacy to achieve the outcome we desire. This is why Global Impact Initiative co-hosted Professional Self-Advocacy for Women: An Interactive Workshop with Mariam Matin, co-founder of Second Day. Below, we will outline the main takeaways from that workshop.
What Are We Up Against?
The global labor force participation rate for women is 49%, as opposed to 75% for men. Despite the obvious inequity demonstrated here, 20% of men and 14% of women globally still believe it is unacceptable for a woman to have a paid job outside the home.
To make matters worse, four times as many women as men dropped out of the labor force in September 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic—roughly 865,000 women compared with 216,000 men.
The lack of gender equality in the workforce makes it more important than ever to teach women self-advocacy.
Why Is It Difficult for Women to Advocate for Themselves?
Many women struggle with imposter syndrome which, in Mariam’s words, is the feeling that “I’m a fraud” or “it’s just luck.”
The participants shared their experiences fighting imposter syndrome:
Feeling nervous everyday at work that her manager only hired her because of the “fake” confidence she demonstrated in the interview and that her manager is now disappointed by her actual personality and work,
Reminding herself repeatedly that her work is not easy and that she brings value to her clients,
Not applying for jobs because she believes that she is not qualified.
How Can Women Overcome Imposter Syndrome?
Mariam outlined the following strategies for those who battle imposter syndrome to re-write the narratives in their head:
Instead of “I’m a fraud,” say to yourself, “I accomplished my goal and made a difference.”
Instead of “It’s just luck,” say to yourself, “This wasn’t a failure, this was part of the process.”
Instead of “Oh, this old thing?”, say to your friends, “Hey, guess what happened at work today!”
How Can Women Perform Self-Advocacy in the Workplace?
Mariam encouraged the participants to focus on the impact and results they drive to understand their strengths and values, which they then can use to tell their story.
How women can tell their strengths and values more powerfully is through the following points:
Using numbers as much as possible, as specific as possible,
Building a habit of writing wins and progresses as they happen,
Soliciting and using constructive criticism to consciously improve yourself.
For those new to self-advocacy (especially in public), it is natural to feel uncomfortable. Some ways to feel more comfortable with it is through:
Reading it back to yourself—if it sounds true to what you have accomplished, there is nothing to feel uncomfortable about,
Using specific numbers—numbers do not lie,
Shouting out to your teammates—this helps you give credit to whom it is due and gain allies who will celebrate your accomplishments with you.
Especially for women working in male-dominated fields, gaining allies in the workplace who will support and help you throughout your self-advocacy is crucial. Many achieve this through mentorship.
In the next blog, we will go through the basics of mentorship—what to look for in a mentor, common misconceptions about having a mentor, and how to actually get a mentor.
To participate in Global Impact Initiative’s 2021 Professional Development Workshop Series, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media (you can find the links to all of our social media platforms on the top of our website).
To find a mentor or volunteer as a mentee, apply by February 4th to join our Virtual Mentoring Program.
