In the modern world, who you know matters as much as what you know. Having the right connections can help you reach your personal and professional goals more quickly and easily. Men are taught this early on in life and are often seen building their networks from their school days. However, women are different when it comes to networking as they focus on creating long-term personal relationships rather than short-term friendships for temporary benefits. That’s why their networking approach should be different from that of men to succeed in life.
Read on to know why women need to network differently than men.
According to a Kellogg School of Management study, women who network like men to get more opportunities actually do worse than women who don’t. It is because women who do this are often judged harshly and as a result, lose their close friendships. This prevents them from cracking interviews when asked gender-specific questions. It also creates a difference in getting equal advancement opportunities.
The lack of a close inner circle also reduces their opportunities for discussing career goals and getting professional advice.
Regarding job opportunities, factors like qualifications don’t make a difference for either gender as there is a negligible gap. Where a sizable difference occurs is their social networks.
It is seen that men who get better job opportunities are more central in their network than women. This difference between genders at the initial career levels carries on for the rest of their career as well.
What is notable here is that the ties men have don't necessarily need to be strong to succeed. Even men with weaker network groups do better in their professional development for women's lives than most women.
The gender composition of their networks also does not impact the outcomes.
By now we know that what works for men does not essentially work for women when it comes to networking. Now the question is, what does work then? The key ingredient to a successful women's network is a solid inner circle of female supporters.
Women need private information in a world which considers them different and holds them to different standards. Only a network of trustworthy supporters can get women the confidential information they need to thrive and overcome the differences in their careers.
Women also need to focus on creating a diverse network of women in their inner circle as it gives them opportunities to get the most support. Having a diverse group also helps you see different perspectives, which can prevent bias and prejudices.
Your social network matters in your success, and women need to network differently than their male counterparts to succeed.
Pretty Girls Rock is a community of strong women who come together to uplift and empower other women. We help fellow women with every aspect of their lives. Whether you want to get a new job or need help getting fit, we can help you. Join our live events and become a member to be a part of our digital network and grow with us. You can reach out to us at 832-429-7678 or fill out our online contact form to hear back from us.