In the last segment of our female recruitment panel, we focus on the topic of empowerment. Specifically asking; How can we continue to allow women to flourish, develop and improve as recruiters?
Read on to find out why flexibility, networking, development, support, and environment are key within this:
Poonam Mawani
Find out what motivates them. Everyone is different. Give women the same opportunities as the men and allow them to work in a way that suits their style. This will get the best out of them and motivate them to do even better.
Poonam Mawani, Director at Azuki Accounts.
Ruth Penfold
I would suggest that we start by empowering and celebrating one another, by building networks of amazing women working in this space and sharing ideas. By helping to bolster one another when the dreaded imposter syndrome strikes. We can also do this by letting our own light shine, by being the most authentic versions of ourselves and by sharing some of that in the world. The way that we behave and allow others to see us, in honest representation, can go a long way to inspire other people. We often won’t even be aware of it.
Ruth Penfold, Director of Talent Acquisition, Shazam.
Lysha Holmes
Remove the barriers over flexible working it is not a target to hit to be allowed to go home to collect your kids. Trust is earned – agreed, but set strict guidelines as to what is acceptable. Encourage a mentorship scheme where the leaders (women) or those who excel in one area, become champions to others. Aspirational women should share their secrets and methods of working successfully within their recruitment companies.
Lysha Holmes, Owner and Recruiter of Qui Recruitment R2R.
Liz Sebag-Montefiore
Ensure your culture doesn’t intimidate female candidates, especially working mothers, try to provide strong female role models. Reassure women that their skills will be recognised, the rewards will be equal to those of male counterparts and will have an equal chance to climb the career ladder and aspire to leadership roles. Promote and use creative ways of engaging women as agents of change in building a diverse and inclusive organisational culture.
Liz Sebag-Montefiore, Director and Co-Founder 10Eighty.
Libby Herrmann
We can continue to further empower women working in recruitment by creating an environment that is inclusive of everyone, at all levels; an environment where people feel inspired to collaborate and ideate. Encourage a fail-forward mentality, and genuinely support learning through failure. It all starts with executive leadership. Our most senior leaders must strive to lead by example, and showcase the successes within each gender throughout the organization. Words, in the end, are only as strong as the actions we take to support them.
Libby Herrmann, Client Relationship Manager at WilsonHCG.
Angela Bortolussi
A large part of discussions around women in technology or women in any type of working capacity can be and is focused on challenges they face – providing visibility on such topics, definitely fosters empowerment – we’re able to communicate barriers we face so change can happen. But, what I love about the recruitment industry is that women are recognized for their achievements (we often hear and see this when attending recruitment conferences, and attend panel discussions).
Ways to get involved in the “empowering women initiative:” be available. If women reach out, spare some time to chat. Share your successes, challenges, tips – just being a sounding board for other women can have an immense effect.
Angela Bortolussi, Partner at Recruiting Social.
Rebecca Fraser
Provide development opportunities that support ongoing growth and to keep them motivated by wanting to develop. This needs to be done in a way that is flexible to everyone’s needs (not just the female) and supports them in being able to achieve their goals. Regardless of the role they are in, keeping female recruiters will come down to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment that supports the success of both genders!
Rebecca Fraser, National Executive Committee, Career Development Association of Australia.
Caroline Stokes
I encourage women to find out what their ‘why’ is in recruiting and to learn as much as they can so they can continue to evolve and grow as much as the candidates and companies they work with.
Caroline Stokes, Founder of FORWARD and The Emotionally Intelligent Recruiter.
Amanda Bell
Show them your support! Whether it’s rewarding great work, promoting them as a result, or making sure their ideas and voices are heard, be their partners and advocates. Showing means far more than telling.
Amanda Bell, Director of Recruiting at Lever.
