The Scientista Foundation
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Team
  • My Campus
    • Find My Campus
    • Start A Chapter >
      • Chapter Application
      • Chapter Application (In Progress)
  • The Periodical
    • Career Blog
    • Plan Your Education
    • Lifestyle Blog
    • Women in Science News
    • DiscovHER Science
    • Get Inspired
  • Events
    • Events
    • Symposium 2019
    • Symposium Testimonials
  • Join
    • Subscribe!
    • Internships
    • Test Membership
  • Sponsorship
    • Our Sponsors
    • Sponsor Scientista!
    • University Membership
    • Donate
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Team
  • My Campus
    • Find My Campus
    • Start A Chapter >
      • Chapter Application
      • Chapter Application (In Progress)
  • The Periodical
    • Career Blog
    • Plan Your Education
    • Lifestyle Blog
    • Women in Science News
    • DiscovHER Science
    • Get Inspired
  • Events
    • Events
    • Symposium 2019
    • Symposium Testimonials
  • Join
    • Subscribe!
    • Internships
    • Test Membership
  • Sponsorship
    • Our Sponsors
    • Sponsor Scientista!
    • University Membership
    • Donate
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

9/19/2012 4 Comments

"No One Asked Me!": Why women miss career advancement opportunities

Picture

By Renee Weisman

Recently, several acquaintances came to me with similar problems: A young engineer complained that she was not invited to join a task force in which she very much wanted to participate. A manager attended a senior management meeting at which her employees were speaking and was surprised to see another teammate introduce their work.  A graduate researcher complained that another student had just been given a plum assignment.  When I probed further to understand why they were overlooked, they all had a similar lament: “No one asked me to join,” or “No one asked me to speak,” or “No one asked me if I’d be interested.”

Do you miss out on opportunities because you wait to be asked? Perhaps you are afraid you will be turned down. Perhaps you don’t want to “overstep” your bounds. Perhaps someone drummed the old adage, “Good things come to those who wait” into your head. But your professors, coworkers, and bosses are not mind readers. You have to let them know of your interest.  Stay on the sidelines, and others will step in and take charge.

Even if they want to ask, many are so hesitant that instead of asking directly, they drop hints, hoping some astute person will pick up the ball. My favorite example of this is a husband and wife driving on a long trip. She asks him, “Would you like to stop for a cup of coffee at the next rest stop”? Since he has no need for coffee or a driving break, he answers, “No.”  The wife, who did want to stop, is now disappointed or has to rephrase her request. If a husband can’t recognize his wife’s hints, it is unlikely that your coworkers, boss or professors will know what you were hinting at.

Now that we have agreed that you need to ask, how should you do it? Let’s take a look at the three women I mentioned earlier. Our young engineer should have gone to the task force leader and asked to join the team with some specifics on why it would be good for both her and the task force. Our manager should have met with the staff arranging the meeting and offered to say a few words of welcome and introduction. Our grad student should have made her interest in the assignment known to the professor.

The approach can be broken down into four simple steps:

1.       Define what you want. Be as specific as you can be when asking. 

2.       Describe why is the advancement is a good path for you and for the person (lab, organization, business, etc.) you are asking.

3.       Put a time into your request, if possible. Make it a reasonable period and explain why you need to know by that date. For example, you might say, “Could you let me know by Friday so I have sufficient time to make arrangements?”

4.       Be prepared for your response if the answer is no. If you have a good reason to counter the negative response, do so. If not, accept the answer and ask that if a similar situation arises in the future, you could be considered.  

Asking for something specific, accompanied by a logical reason that your request is beneficial to both parties, is absolutely critical in enabling you to get what you want. Don’t wait to be asked because no one will. 

About the Blogger

Picture
Renee Weisman, owner of Winning at Work Consulting, was a distinguished engineer and executive in the male dominated semiconductor industry for over 40 years. Author of Winning in a Man's World, 5 Ways to Get a Man to Listen and her newest book, 7 Steps to Bragging the Right Way, Renee teaches men and women how to work together more effectively. 


---

Liked this article? You might also like...

surfing-waves.comWidget



Comments? Leave them below!

4 Comments
Mason link
2/28/2013 05:31:37 am

Very well written, I’m glad I stumbled onto this. My friend and I were just having a similar disussion the other day.

Reply
Addison link
3/15/2013 08:55:22 am

This is a fantastic website and I can not recommend you guys enough. Full of useful resource and great layout very easy on the eyes. Please do keep up this great work.

Reply
iehomeloans link
7/4/2013 12:28:00 am

This article discusses about the topic “Why women miss career advancement opportunities”. Women are not getting much advancement opportunities in their workplace. It is mainly because they are staying behind and are hesitant to ask things directly. These systems have to be changed. The article was a thought provoking one and I appreciate your efforts behind it.

Reply
help with essay link
8/15/2013 11:37:00 pm

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    surfing-waves.comget this widget

    CONNECT WITH US

    SUBSCRIBE

    RSS Feed


About

Mission  
Team


Connect

E-Newsletter
Facebook
Twitter
​
Instagram
Contact 


Press

All Press
Harvard Crimson
Harvard Gazette
Bostinnovation.com

Partner

Our Sponsors
Sponsorship Inquiries
​Partnership Inquiries
The Scientista Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved © 2011-2021 | Based in NY | contact@scientistafoundation.org
The Network for Pre-Professional Women in Science and Engineering
The Scientista Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) -- Donate!

Photos used under Creative Commons from herlitz_pbs, jedhakuro, Victor1558, Photos from SkiStar, wocintechchat.com, quinn.anya