Indian working women are showing their credentials in almost all the field. Although unlike salaried men most women go through breaks in their career due to marriage, child birth/s, child care, family relocations etc. In spite of all these breaks, the career women who try to come back in the career track often have to compromise with salary or positions to cover those few months/years of gap from the career track. Most women find themselves stuck in lower salary packages and positions during their mid-career. This result in dissatisfaction and lack in self motivation among them and starts a cycle of missing promotion-more frustration-disengaged employee. It is important to keep finding meaning it work you are doing. For working mothers it is of more importance as they leave their loving kids behind with nanny/grandparents or day care and the work in hand needs to be really fulfilling to keep them going with the job. It is not necessary to stay stuck in the routine which does not interest them anymore in spite of being in the mid-career. For most women in mid-career often it is not possible to relocate due to family responsibilities and the job change becomes more challenging.
Here are few perspectives to look into the situation and finding ways to change jobs for women in the middle of their career.
Revise your resume and make goals: First step to bring change in the job you are stuck is to go back and update your resume, find the skills that you have learned recently and highlight them. See the areas you would need to work on. Understand what goals that you are looking for coming year, in 3 years and 5 years. Choose few of the weaknesses or gaps of your resume and give some time to improve them in the present job.
Demand challenging roles at present job: Women often end up doing more supporting activities to complete a project and end up preparing the presentation but not presenting it, doing the trend analysis but not getting the credit for it. This has been observed and carefully presented by Working Diva Sheryl Sandberg. Women end up doing more laborious jobs and the cream of these – final analysis, presentation are taken over by men hence they pick up the accolades too. Women are extremely self critical while presenting anything in public and hence hand over the job to a male colleague. This cycle needs to break if you are in a mid career and are stuck in a lower role.
Look for internal job postings (IJPs): IJPs are the safest bet if you are looking for a change in role without disrupting anything else. Look out for role that interests you and apply even if you are not necessarily aware of all the ropes required in the job, you will learn like you did for present job. Look for various areas for transition and discuss the role, expectations with the present teams. Be proactive while interview and show the readiness to learn and take up new challenges. If you already have shown that by following the previous point, company will already have positive data regarding your work pattern. Negotiate to get the pay hike and role that you are looking for once you are selected.
Parallel job opportunities in your area: Often we don’t do enough networking and does not realize that there are other companies (mostly start-ups) who have requirements for experienced go getters and they pay well too. Check in the linked in and reach out to people with similar skill set as yours but different profile. You may find it interesting to disrupt into those roles. At mid-career level networking is a critical leveler to get you a new job or not along with the qualification and the skill sets you have. Network more by joining any association on your domain through conferences and online courses.
As an Indian woman in mid-career you should cheer – you have proven resilient to the career pipeline leakage by sticking to it for so long. You are role models to entry-level employees specially women in your company. Be happy for that and reach out for more!