The most important advice for women in 2025

are you ready? Indeed, as 2024 turns into 2025, while there are headwinds that seek to hold women back, from the reversal of women’s reproductive rights to the reversal of diversity policies, there are opportunities to push women to the next level. There have also been historical gains for women in gender, business and finance.

According to the Women’s Business Collaborative, the number of women in the C-suite of private companies valued at $1 billion or more has doubled this year, and the number of female CEOs in the Russell 3000 (an index of the 3000 largest companies in the United States) will increase by 2023. It jumped from 6.8% to 9%. And Caitlin Clark (pictured) and other notable female athletes have broken records and dramatically grown women’s sports. A new stratosphere.

Additionally, according to McKinsey and other sources, women will inherit $30 trillion by 2030, just five years away. The World Economic Forum calls this “the great wealth transfer.”

As the economy shifts to prioritize both value and profit, new industries such as clean energy, climate, sustainability, and artificial intelligence are created, creating entirely new careers, jobs, and New business opportunities are opening up to women. past. For example, a Department of Energy study found that clean energy jobs are growing at twice the rate overall. Now is the time for companies to lead with purpose, even if they don’t call it that, as Corporate Purpose CEO Darryl Brewster wrote this week (he spoke at the Solutions For Change summit earlier this month). (I participated in a panel that I moderated.)

But women still face challenges in their own ways. Here’s how:

Even when the door slams open, many women hold themselves back.

I keep hearing that women underestimate their skills, experience, knowledge and what they can bring to the table. I keep hearing women stress that some of their qualifications are missing rather than special skills that would help them post.

As a result, these women either don’t seek out job opportunities or approach interviews in ways that diminish their expertise and value.

Maybe they thought they were humble and team players, but what they’re actually doing is showing them that they shouldn’t be given the job opportunity. is. In other words, they are excluding themselves from opportunities that they actually want, are highly qualified for, and could potentially grow from.

It’s not humility to downplay your expertise in a job interview or conversation. It also doesn’t mean being arrogant.

The most important career advice, especially for 2025.

The most important advice for 2025 is to realize how much you know and how much value you can bring. Be aware of how qualified you are for the opportunities that present themselves. There is always more to learn, but what you bring to the table is unique and includes resourcefulness and intelligence that understands strategy and tactics.

There’s a lot of information you can learn if you want, but you can’t teach initiative or enthusiasm. You can’t teach resourcefulness, you can’t teach ideas, you can’t teach creativity. Each of us has our own unique approach to problem solving.

There is also a network. Building a network and knowing how to properly leverage it on behalf of your company requires specific people skills.

“Women often have far more skills than their resumes show.”

So put your shoulders back, stand straight, keep your chin up, own the space you occupy, and own your knowledge and expertise.

Polling veteran Selinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, put it well on this year’s Electric Ladies Podcast: And actually, I think we’re now seeing employers and organizations looking for the skill set that you have more than the job title that you have. It’s good for women because we have a lot of acquired skills in different fields. ”

“Just give it your all,” she added. “People are very interested in public service and interested in learning from paid roles outside the home as well as unpaid roles.”

Don’t be discouraged if you put yourself forward and are rejected. By raising your hand, applying for a new role, and asking for a bigger project, you’ll still get noticed and remain on their radar and database, both mentally and literally.

“Be persistent, and don’t take it personally,” Lake reminds us. “It’s tough out there and you have to be resilient, but remember that you have so much to offer and you know it.” Top athletes like Caitlin Clark Do it, keep honing your skills, and rise to the top.

Own what you know and what you are good at. And in 2025, look at your career differently.