Women make up half of the college-educated workforce in America, but only 29 percent of the engineering and science positions are filled by women, according to the National Girls Collaborative Project. Navigating a male dominated profession can be stressful at times, but there are ways to ensure success along with helping other women in science navigate through the field as well.
Find a strong support system
If you’re working in the field of science as a woman, there may be times you feel the need to talk with other women outside of your male-dominated workplace. Reach out to fellow women in your profession and try to form relationships. Professional development associations, like, AWIS, The Association for Women in Science, can help you network and find other women with similar workplace experiences. Making strong connections with other women in science can help advance your career in the future as well.
Assert yourself in the workplace
In any job, you have to prove your worth at work before your coworkers believe in you. Make sure to be proud of the work you are doing and view yourself as an equal. Once your coworkers know all of the great work you can do, and they notice you’re confident in the work you’re doing, they are more likely treat you with the same respect as your male counterparts. Take credit for your successes and speak up when you have ideas on projects – even if they aren’t in your realm. Involve yourself in cross-functional initiatives to stay engaged and valuable.
Help other women in science
With low numbers of women in the field, it’s easy for strong and meaningful bonds to be formed. If you are a woman working in science, reach out to other women and offer guidance and support. Taking on the role of a mentor is a great way to give back and offer support to another woman working in the field. This will not only help you enhance the career of other women in science, it shines a positive light on women in the field and helps pave a pathway for more women to pursue careers in science.
If you are a woman in science and looking for new opportunities or to make new connections in your field, contact an Alliance Scientific Solutions recruiter today to learn about opportunities.