“We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.” – Sheryl Sandberg ( COO of Facebook)
To begin this article with a positive vibe, we present you a fact that globally the proportion of senior roles held by women is 25%, i.e. one in four senior roles is held by a Woman. A considerable increase when compared to previous years. At the same time, the proportion of businesses with no women in senior leadership roles has also risen.
To stick to the fact, over 34% of businesses are there with no Women in leadership roles.
It’s totally up to you whether to take these proportions positively or otherwise. Still, we can assure one thing, that there are plenty of career opportunities for women in management. In fact, there are plenty untouched and undesired. When we focus on our country (India), according to the survey by Grant Thornton’s IBR research program, only 17% of women are taking up the senior leadership positions in Businesses in India. Experts blaming these lowest proportions on the cultural differences. According to Elena Proskurnya, Managing partner of FBK Grant Thornton Russia, the pressures of tradition is a barrier for women to develop in their professions. Mainly in India, we can list a number of things that limit women from actually getting out of their homes and make a change. Out of them, marriage and pregnancy are well-known barriers that stand between women and their success.
Pursuing a degree in management is not at all about earning more money but launching a progressive career and enhance our personal growth. It applies to both men and women. Once you’ve overcome all those personal barriers, there is the world full of opportunities for you in various sectors.
As you are pursuing a career in management, you should be aware of the jobs that require a management degree. Then make your mind up on that particular sector you want to shine. Here we provide a list of sectors that are on the peak in providing career opportunities for women in management.
Information System Management:
It is one of the top sectors which has plenty of career opportunities for women in management. Especially for women considering the basic assumption that women basically does not show interest in technologies. Make yourself a technology-focused candidate, with an MBA in Information Systems. Candidates in this sector are expected to be up-to-date with latest technologies hence contributing ideas to use appropriate technologies for their respective department. (Managerial or Financial Department)
Banking & Finance:
Security firms, insurance companies, and much other financial organization seeks professionals to make right choices on investment. Make yourself proficient in security & investment analysis as well as portfolio management. Some of the leading Companies that offer such jobs are Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Nomura, RBS, Barclays etc.
Career opportunities for women in management are not limited to the banking sector. Many other opportunities in the banking sector are for Commercial Banking, Transaction Banking, Corporate Banking Liabilities Product Management, Cards Management, Relationship Management, Compliance, Wholesale Risk, Credit Risk, and Treasury.
“India does not have a problem with people grabbing share from a fixed pie. India is one of the few nations where the pie is getting larger” – Arundhati Bhattacharya
Arundhati Bhattacharya, the first woman chairperson of the nation’s largest bank SBI, has been ranked among the top five most powerful women in finance by the Forbes magazine. She is ranked 25th on Forbes’ list of ‘World’s 100 most powerful women’. She does not even have a degree in Finance or Management. Being a literature graduate she made what women think as impossible possible by making history. A Woman worth to be considered as an idol irrespective of our gender.
Investment Banking:
This is a job in demand and it is generally believed to be a Male dominated profession.
Let’s look at what Lindsey Boden, Head of EMEA Recruiting at Goldman Sachs had to say about the reduced proportion of women in banking than Men.
“Some of the disparities begin at a university level. There are still fewer female students studying STEM subject courses than there are men. These courses have provided a traditional route into finance and investment banking, as many of the skill-sets are perceived as aligned with the of opportunities in the industry – although the majority of graduate roles at Goldman Sachs are in fact open to applicants from all disciplines”
(STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)
Still, it is clear that more women are now applying for jobs in banking and we again emphasize the fact that Banking is not reserved only for men.
Here in Investment Banking, the main objective of the candidate is to connect investors to organizations in need of fund. Companies like SBI Capital Markets, Bank of America, etc., hire candidates for this role. The right candidate functions as an underwriter. The candidate must be sharp enough to survey what fits best for the client. They also act as the client’s agent in the issuance of securities.
Data Analytics:
Data is an underrated word until we are enlightened with what this ‘data’ is capable of. Banking sectors nowadays get the most benefit from the data analysts as according to a recent Strategy Analytics survey of 450 companies worldwide, Banking leads most industries when it comes to Big Data analytics. The analysts turn the data into valuable insights that are used to guide and improve bank’s market product and also used to manipulate its budget and future plans.
Many business schools have now started offering data analytics as an important part of their MBA programs. Companies like Fractal Analytics, Latent View Analytics hire MBA graduates as data scientists or data analysts.
( Fractal Analytics has been listed under ‘India’s Best Companies To Work For- 2017′ recognized by Great Place To Work® Institute. )
Finally, when you feel like no doors are opening at your deafening knocks, consider it as an omen or message from God that it is time to become an Entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship:
Management studies upgrade your ability to be an entrepreneur. If not you then who? You are more than eligible for that. Freshers especially women consider Entrepreneurship as an epitome of risk. That’s a myth. When you realize that from your heart and ready to make history, You will notice the plethora of business ideas scattered around you. All you have to do is to take your first step with an ocean of optimism.
Where there is a will there is a way. As the proverb goes, when you are finally ready to venture into the world of entrepreneurs, there is no shortage of ideas. There are plenty of sites and blogs to help you see things clearly by providing a list of possibilities of what all you can do!
Example: https://99businessideas.com/business-ideas-for-women/
For those who seek inspiration and hope, you should read this article by Geri Stengel who writes about the success factors of women entrepreneurs.
Hence we have come to a positive conclusion that we are proudly living in the era of women empowerment and it’s time you all realized it that there are plenty of career opportunities for women in management. GOOD LUCK!
great article. its a really very helpful for me and other women who are looking for new career opportunities. thanks for your great guidance.
Excellent article! I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article.