Okay, wow. I’ve noticed that a lot of my traffic is coming from searches on how to be taken seriously as a woman. Unfortunately, they’re finding my article about how I was told I needed to wear make up. Well, instead of that worthless bit of advice, let’s talk about how you really CAN be taken seriously as a woman in a professional workplace.
If you want to be treated like a professional, you have to act like one.
- Dress appropriately for the position you want, not the one that you have. If you’re a clerk and want to be a manager, dress a little bit more formally than your other clerk colleagues.
- Be good at your job – people do notice excellence! And when someone compliments your work or accomplishments, own them! Say ‘thank you’ instead of minimizing their importance. This is something men are taught that women are taught to absolutely not do. Break the mold! Own your awesome!
- Don’t play games. Seriously, that makes all women look bad. People expect it of us in the workplace. Just don’t do it.
- Don’t gossip, either. Okay, I know the other gals in the office may hate you for not gossiping. Also, in some offices, that’s the only way to find out what’s going on anymore. Transparency my rosy red back end! But if you must listen to it, don’t pass it on.
- Speak well. Don’t use a lot of slang or have bad diction. People respect people who speak well. This goes for written communication, too. Don’t use text language in your office emails.
- Don’t just complain, offer solutions, too. This is good advice for any situation where you want things to change. Complaining is easy – fixing is hard. Make yourself and asset and not a liability.
- Don’t fall into the ‘not my job’ game. Be helpful and don’t leave people hanging – coworkers or customers/clients. At the very least, direct them to who they need to be talking to. You’ll be seen as a valuable resource instead of an apathetic drone.
- Respect yourself and respect others. Don’t let yourself be treated poorly, believe in your own abilities, and let your confidence shine through without being arrogant. Acknowledge other people’s awesomeness, too. Be a team player and lead by example.
Okay, that’s all my advice for now. Hopefully some of you will find it helpful!
