Four recruitment tips for women in male-dominated professions
While some progress has been made, today women still struggle to get jobs in male-dominated professions. The unfortunate reality is that many women are still discriminated when it comes to hiring and promotions.
The percentage of female roles further decreases when we climb up the hierarchy level. There are significantly few female leaders in these male-dominated professions like software, engineers, agriculture, construction etc.
To decrease the gap, many initiatives have been started by the governments and companies, but it seems there is still a long way to go. However, if you are enthusiastic about bringing the change, then this article will help you. In it we share four tips for women in male-dominated professions, to help you mark your presence confidently.
1) Become a freelancer or locum
If you are not sure about the job but want to enter that field, become a freelancer or locum. A freelancer is recruited on a contract for an agency or client, usually on a per-project basis. In contrast, a locum doctor works in place of another doctor when that doctor is sick or away or works alongside as a temporary employee.
During the pandemic, the need for veterinary services increased drastically as more people acquired pets. This increased the amount of abandoned and rescued animals. Therefore, the demand for the treatments of these animals increased, and practices started campaigns and gave advertisements to aware suitable candidates for opportunities. This surge locum vet jobs provided employment to many people.
Moreover, with an increase in demand for locum veterinary surgeons, the wages also rose. If you become a locum veterinary surgeon, then you can earn good money along with job satisfaction.
Also, this will help you to explore the market, work with different companies, and learn new things. After completing this process, if you are still searching for a permanent job, it will be easy to appear for interviews as you will already have the experience.
2) Find a mentor
If you wish to put your efforts into the male-dominated profession but do not know where to start, find a mentor. A trustworthy and sincere friend or family member can guide you on the right path to success.
If you have no friends or family members, then you can look for some other people who are currently employed in these professions and ask them about the process of applying and getting jobs. Every domain has its own professional bodies, join them and attend their meetings, seminars etc. You can get proper guidance from there too.
You can use mentors for brainstorming, asking for advice or talking through a problem. If you are struggling with something challenging and don’t know who else to talk to, try approaching senior women leaders within your company who might help out.
For example, if you are trying to get recruited to a law firm, you can approach one of the senior women lawyers and ask her for support. You will get great insight from them, and they will give you the best advice from their experience. You could also reach out on some social media platforms and join the women’s network. Women’s networks will advocate for you and can resolve the problems that you are struggling with.
3) Specialise
It is observed that every company prefers women who are specialised in their work field otherwise they will get bored very soon with usual responsibilities. Hence, it becomes essential for women to acquire specialised knowledge and skills.
Every profession needs specialisation because companies want value work from their employees. Specialisation helps the candidates too as they get recruited on much higher pay than a regular employee. There are different levels and types of specialisations within electronics recruitment, and it depends on the industry or profession you choose.
For example, if you want to make your way into the electronic software engineering sector, then try and learn the C++ language. This will help you stand out in the crowd and make you a desired candidate for many companies.
Nowadays, you can learn new things through online classes too. Many websites offer free tutorials, do not forget to check them out. You can use social media, especially LinkedIn, for this purpose. There are many seminars and workshops organised through social media platforms. These platforms can help you further enhance your knowledge and provide you with certificates for learning new concepts and skills.
4) Socialise
It’s true what they say, never underestimate the power of work socials. Building relationships with people from different departments can help to relieve stress. It will help establish more connections in your career, making you feel much less alone as an employee.
Sometimes it can feel a little intimidating to ask for inclusion in the social settings of an organisation, especially if there are very few women coworkers. But if there’s one thing we know how to do, it is to relax and slowly get comfortable with others’ interests outside work.
You might end up having something that they find interesting too. And sometimes there can be chances when you aren’t always invited next to gatherings. You don’t need to agonise about it and next time, set up a party or event on your own. Send invites to everyone in the office and have quality time. This will help you socialise with others in a better way and send a message of your confidence and a positive attitude around the office.
Therefore, once you have got a job or freelancing contract, be confident and attend all events and seminars related to these professions. It is the best way of socialising with people working in these domains. It is very important for your growth and will help you to make many new friends.
If we talk about relations, we all know the proverb ‘every relation has its own benefits. If you are calm, composed and friendly, then no one can stop you from getting success. So, make your social skills your most vital skill and implement them in the best way possible.
Photo by Isabela Kronemberger
