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Equal Opportunity Magazine, launched in 1968, is a career-guidance and recruitment magazine offered at no charge to qualified African American, Hispanic, Native-American, and Asian-American college students and professionals in career disciplines. Equal Opportunity empowers readers to move ahead in their job search and/or current workplace environment.

This magazine reaches students and professionals nationwide at their home addresses, colleges and universities, and chapters of student and professional organizations.

If you are a student or professional who is a member of a minority group, Equal Opportunity is available to you FREE!


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 GET YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS NOTICED

 
A new study by Pew Research shows that women equal men in most qualities needed to be a good leader, such as intelligence and innovation. In some areas, such as ethics and the ability to mentor employees, women are seen as better qualified for leadership than their male counterparts. And yet, only 5 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. The study found that one of the key reasons women are not in more senior positions is that, unlike men, whose leader- ship abilities are assumed, women have to obviously demonstrate their leader - ship skills in order to be promoted. Here are ways to get your leadership skills noticed:
 
1. Say no without explanation. Women are often socialized to be nice and say yes to any reasonable request. While this might work well in some areas of your life, it does not serve you well in the executive suite. The reality is, you need to say yes to those things that allow you and your organization to meet stated goals (these are the things on which your performance is graded.) In order to free up the time to meet your obligations and still have a life, you need to say no to almost everything else.
 
2. Never justify your seat at the table. Women often spend valuable meeting time outlining their experience and skills to establish credibility. Don’t waste time justifying why you have been invited to the party, as it under mines your |authority. If you were invited to a meeting or to be on a project, assume that you are qualified to be there, are there for a purpose, and that others value your ideas.
 
3. Don’t be the office mom. Studies show that women spend a disproportionate amount of time when compared to male colleagues on what Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant refers to as “office housework” like mentoring and coaching others. Often this work is not recognized and can actually be held against you if it takes time away from your other responsibilities. If you find that you spend a lot of time helping others, make sure that mentoring and coaching is part of how your performance is measured.
 
4. Don’t over-explain. Women, especially if they are mothers, are often used to explaining things over and over in order to be heard. If you explain things too much at work, it can weaken your position. Assume that your audience is smart and that if they don’t understand what you are saying, they will ask you for clarification. State things once: clearly, confidently, and factually. Then, assume your message was received and leave the mansplaining to the men.
 
5. Be firm but kind.While it rarely pays to be nice at the office, it always pays to be kind. One of the areas where many women leaders excel is in softening a hard message with diplomacy. While it is not fair, women who are very aggressive at work are more harshly viewed than aggressive men. Aim for assertiveness at all times; be truthful and firm, but kind.
 
6. Take a risk. One of the areas where men are perceived to outperform women is in taking risks. Leaders drive business forward by taking calculated risks, whether it’s launching a new product, expanding into a new territory, or making an acquisition. If you want to be taken seriously as a leader, you must be comfortable with taking risks. If this is not something that comes naturally, take a class in risk management. Practice taking small risks in your personal life or with business issues where the stakes are lower to increase your comfort level with the process.
 
7. Negotiate to win. Women are seen as superior to men at reaching a compromise but inferior when it comes to negotiating a more profitable deal. While win-win is ideal for many situations, sometimes business presents a win-lose scenario such as negotiating price, trying to win a bid, or competing for a promotion. Practice negotiating for the win and get comfortable with disappointing others on occasion.
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