Wednesday 08 March 2017 7:00 am

Celebrating International Women’s Day

There is no doubt that more work needs to be done to close the gender gap across many industries, from the military to elected office to tech to asset management. Raising awareness is one step along this path.

To that end, today — International Women’s Day — communities across the world will reflect on the progress women have made and will discuss the challenges that lie ahead. One of the priorities will be how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular, how to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

With this year’s theme in mind — “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030” — here are some career resources to help you as you progress from “post fear” to the podium:

It’s time to embrace life “post fear.” Lucy Kellaway, columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times, says letting go of fear can be liberating. She told delegates at the CFA Institute Alpha and Gender Diversity: The Competitive Edge conference that “you’re not necessarily going to bust a gut in the manic way that you did when you were very, very afraid.” But on the other hand, “it means that we dare to do things.” Women need to be bold. The hashtag for International Women’s Day is perfect — #BeBoldForChange.
Polish your CV. If you’re wondering whether your resume is still a key element in marketing yourself now that social media plays such a significant role in how recruiters and potential employers evaluate you, the answer is “Yes!” Read “Three Tips for Building a High-Impact Resume.”
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date. Here are some ideas on how to get the best out of your LinkedIn profile.
Network, network, network! “Networking is like exercise,” Candace Corlett, president of WSL, a retail strategy consulting firm, tells the Wall Street Journal. “You know you must, but do you? And you know if you do, you’ll feel better.” Here are “Two Ways Women Can Network More Effectively, Based on Research.”
Build your confidence and public speaking skills. Everyone gets nervous, so it’s time to get over that. We need to see more women on the podium. Here are ideas for “How to Calm Your Nerves Before Making a Terrifying Speech” and a link to “11 Public Speaking Tips From the Best TED Talks Speakers.”