Rising above the Glass Ceiling — Women in Marketing

Despite making leaps and bounds, and even surpassing men in their likeliness to obtain a college degree, American women are faced with extreme gender imbalance in the workforce. There are few industries that offer equal-gender playing fields from the entry-level position all the way up to high management and CEOs.

One of those industries is marketing. Awarding 70% of entry-level positions in the marketing, public relations and advertising profession, women also uphold half of middle-management positions and a quarter of senior management positions. Despite a lack of females in the industry, there are still challenges faced by those still feeling the pressure from the so-called glass ceiling.

Females should be empowered in the workplace, especially those in the marketing industry, as it has been shown that there is a an inherent perspective that can only be provided by a woman. And with the majority of consumers being women, it’s an invaluable resource to tap.

The leading female marketers of today didn’t enter into a field dominated by women, they created that. They faced challenges, broke through the glass ceiling and then some, and rose to the top with their hard work, determination, and unweilding confidence.

From the minds of successful female leaders in the marketing industry, here are three key principles to adhere to:

“You’re not just one thing — you’re many things.” -ROSE HAMILTON, CMO of Pet360

Studies have shown that women are more capable at handling multitasking than their male counterparts, perhaps because of their history of taking on menial jobs while raising families and looking after households. And that ability to put on many hats — CMO, mentor, teammate, wife, mother, etc — it offers a unique benefit to not only women, but those working with her.

“If you’re demonstrating that you’re having to put so many extra hours to do what you’re doing it might come across that you can’t handle what you have.” — TERRI FUNK GRAHAM, CMO of RedEnvelope

Whether or not you’re the only woman in the office or at the conference table, demonstrating your leadership skills has little to do with your X and Y chromosomes and more to do with how well you can do your job, knowing your own value, and being able to balance work with life.

“Early in my career, I started looking not just for a mentor, but several mentors. There are so many lessons and experiences we’re exposed to.” -ASHLEY JOHNSTON, SVP of Global Marketing, Experian Marketing Services.

Tapping the genius of others who have both succeeded and failed will only make you a more open and innovative leader for the team who relies on you. Step out of your normal routine, listen to your teammates, experiment, and never fear failure!