Your career is calling and you’re determined. The problem: nobody told you beforehand that you should not only pack your pumps, but also your rubber boots. Sometimes your career takes you through the thicket and if things don’t go well, you find yourself stuck in a career trap.
HR consultant Regina Franta knows how to get out of it and provides valuable insights from her many years of professional experience. Here are some tips on how to recognize and successfully avoid typical career pitfalls for women.
1. Unpaid care work
The large amount of unpaid work that women do “on the side”, be it at home, with children or caring for relatives, is often the career killer par excellence.
Trap: You have no time for work and your own development.
Regina says: Communication is key. Clarify with those around you – and your employer, if necessary – what support you need to achieve your professional goals without letting your personal commitments slow you down completely.
2. Don't be a working bee
Women often work hard but don’t get anywhere in their careers. So they work even harder and nothing happens. If you are excellent at your job, you run the risk of being classified as a “busy bee” and not being promoted.
Trap: You have become irreplaceable.
Regina says: Set clear timelines and career goals, and don’t just plod along. Plan ahead, talk to your employer about your long-term goals, and signal that you are ready to grow.
3. Promote yourself
A woman’s greatest critic is herself. Women tend to be self-critical, and we are often merciless about it. This makes us insecure. That’s why we prefer not to stand out, but to let our good performance speaks for itself. In the hope that our superiors will eventually notice. Fallacy!
Career trap: No one knows what you’re made of. No one.
Regina says: Be bold and show what you are able to do! Have regular conversations about your career development and have the courage to promote yourself. Being confident about your accomplishments is not arrogance, but an important step in your career.
4. Network and stay in touch
Communication is the great strength of many women, we can talk and socialize – unfortunately often only in our private lives. Building strategic networks for the job, actively networking to open new doors and create opportunities – no, we’re not that “calculating”.
Career trap: Opportunities come my way. Or not.
Regina says: Use every network available to you. Actively make contacts and expand your network. Talk to other women, learn from their experiences, be agile in your network. Networks are give and take. Find mentors, be a mentor.
5. Advantage through knowledge
When you enter the workforce, you are usually excited to get out of the classroom and start practicing. But the truth is: Learning really begins on the job. Professional and personal development is often a challenge in the demanding world of work.
Career trap: I don’t need training.
Regina says: Training makes you visible and gives you new skills for your career. Take advantage of your company’s coaching and training programs and ask for them. Give yourself the gift of coaching, such as public speaking or presentation training – or make a wish for your next birthday.
6. The art of saying no
Many women like to be team players. As a result, they often tend to take on tasks to appear helpful and collegial, even if they are already stretched thin. However, this behavior often leads to overwork and, in the long run, can leave less time for strategic tasks and their own career goals.
Career trap: I can’t say no.
Regina says: Don’t be the “do-everything” person. Say “no” sometimes and focus on what will advance your career. Saying “no” is not a rudeness, but a sign that you know what you can do and want to focus on your priorities. Saying “no” is professional.
7. Create a clear career architecture
Most people start a job, then change jobs at some point, and so on. Each time you change jobs, you ask for a little more money if things are going well. When things go less well, you are willing to compromise. This is how many people plan their careers. Men and women are similar in that respect.
Career trap: I won’t plan my life.
Regina says: Define your career plan and think about where you want to be in five to ten years. Plan the stages of your career by breaking your work into three- to four-year “blocks” so that you gain experience at each stage and signal that you are ready for the next career step.
Conclusion: Be bold and seize opportunities
Women can boost their career, if they clearly articulate their needs and goals. With a clear plan, authentic self-presentation and strategic networking, many career traps can be avoided.
About Regina Franta
A law graduate, she worked for many years as a headhunter at renowned recruitment consultancies such as Korn Ferry International and Heidrick & Struggles in various sectors, including industry, consumer goods and luxury, banking and finance, automotive and media. She later specialized as a senior recruiter in active sourcing, talent acquisition and employer branding.
Today, she heads the recruitment team of the state capital Mainz and is responsible for recruiting and employer branding. Regina Franta has lived in Belgium and the USA and currently lives in Frankfurt.
