How to become a successful businesswoman

Learn about the lives of successful businesswomen. 

Many women have successful careers, in business or in other fields. Researching their backgrounds will help you find motivation and inspiration. Their stories will help you understand what success is and what obstacles you will need to overcome to achieve it.

• On the Internet, you will find everything you want to know about brilliant businesswomen. Check the Forbes or Harvard Business School sites.
• You could also read the biographies or memoirs of different businesswomen: this will allow you to better understand their professional lives, the good and the bad.

• Find out about the schools these women attended, the internships they did, their experiences abroad, their first jobs, and any other information concerning their careers.

Find out what these women have done to advance in their careers and use this knowledge to advance in your own professional life.

Consider entering a field where women are not present.

Determine how to balance work and family life. 

One of the greatest worries of working women is how to find a balance between work and family life. Women are usually of childbearing age just as they are advancing in their careers and climbing the corporate ladder.

• Studies have shown that most women leave their jobs because they are unable to take care of their children enough or because the climate of their work environment is hostile to the demands of motherhood.
• The best way to achieve a balance between work and family is to work for a company that offers a combination of parent-friendly policies, such as easier maternity leave, company childcare, flexible working hours, health insurance for all families or paternity leave.

Overcome salary differences. 

Although fantastic progress has been made in terms of the number of working women and those in managerial positions, there is still a long way to go, particularly with regard to equal pay for men and women. The frustrating truth is that women are paid significantly less than men for the same work. And while the level of education or the decision to have a child can affect the amount of salary, the main problem is that women constantly underestimate themselves and therefore fail to negotiate a higher salary with their employers. To overcome wage inequality, do the following.

• Do research. Find out what people with the same skills as you and in a similar position earn.
• Learn to negotiate. Once you know your worth, learn how to sell your skills and know-how. Never present yourself as less competent than you are. Never offer a salary amount first or if asked, offer a range.
• Never immediately accept an offer. Think of the first number you’re offered as an “initial offer” and keep trading if you feel undervalued.
• Understand that you have the right to ask for a raise. If you already have a job and feel that your work is not being paid fairly, or you find that a colleague is being paid more than you for the same work, don’t be afraid to ask for a raise. Just be sure to prepare your arguments: research and learn about the salaries offered for the position you hold, within your company as well as among competitors. Be prepared to talk about what you bring to the company and in particular your recent successes and the problems you have solved. Highlight the positive remarks of the other members of your team towards you.

Be sure of yourself. 

Having confidence in yourself and your abilities is essential to succeed in your professional life. People will perceive you as you perceive yourself.

• It’s natural to doubt yourself, but don’t let the doubts overwhelm you. Remember that you are where you are because you are good at what you do.
• Project confidence through your body language. To do this, stand up straight and keep your head up. Greet people with a firm handshake and a smile. Most importantly, look the person you’re talking to in the eye. Try not to look away when you meet hers: holding her gaze will make you come across as confident. If you have to address a room full of people, try to hold each person’s gaze for at least a second or two.
• If you’re having a bad day and your confidence is being challenged, try reassuring yourself with positive affirmations. It might sound ridiculous to you, but try looking in the mirror and saying to yourself, “I’m good at what I do” or “I’m determined to reach the top” and you’ll regain your confidence and motivation more easily.

Be determined. 

One of the recurring stereotypes about women in the corporate world is that they are weak and emotional. The best way to destroy these stereotypes is to act against them. To earn respect as a businesswoman, it is essential that you are determined.

• You will be able to communicate your determination by word and by your actions: have confidence in your decisions and do not question yourself constantly. Speak authoritatively, clearly, and confidently, and people will have no doubts about the soundness of your decisions.

In the face of criticism, try to remain as rational and collected as possible. Take the remark into account and decide if it is constructive or if it deserves to be forgotten. Whichever you choose, don’t let criticism trigger a series of doubts about your skills in you^.