Being a SA female millennial and the glass ceiling

Millennials are those who were born between 1980 and 1995, and would be turning 22–34 years’ old in 2016. As a 1984 I happen to fit in quite comfortably in this definition of being a millennial.

I just read this article online http://www.careers24.com/career-advice/recruiting/what-hiring-managers-need-to-know-about-female-millennials-20160708 and as much as what some of the research reveals could be true, it just makes my blood boil a bit.

In my professional work experience there is a recruitment or hiring preference to employ black males first, then everything and everyone else falls in line.

I am aware that my life as a young woman of colour in South Africa is drastically different to women of previous generations. As women of colour today in South Africa we have the opportunities to be more highly educated than ever before. We are entering the workplace in higher numbers than ever before. But the problem arises at promotion, recognition and advancement for the female millennial, and more so for the female of colour millennial in South Africa.

I still experience my male black counterparts being promoted and advanced at a faster rate than I am. In fact there is a preference to hire black males. I may have the same or even higher levels of formal education to my black male counterparts. I may have demonstrated my skills over and beyond the current level I occupy and it still does not guarantee or lead to a structural change in my role and position in the workplace.

In turn what happens is, inappropriate candidates are hired, promoted, and you bright-sparky-female-millennial-of-colour person, are limited to provide and play a continuous supportive role. You are good, but just not good enough. Everybody wants you on their team to ensure the work gets done, but there is no formal recognition for your efforts. In turn, you have to show the recently hired or promoted candidate the ropes, how things are done, ‘shadow’ them on key assignments and projects because nobody wants to address the elephant in the room about the mistake they made in hiring the incorrect candidate for the job. Especially when it is a black male because then everything becomes a ‘racist attack’.

Do I blame impostor syndrome, lack of confidence, EQ or the glass ceiling on this? Yes and No.You may be surrounded my women in senior leadership and managerial roles, but most of them offer little valid mentoring and coaching support to you. For reasons you will never fully know the answer to. Queen Bee Syndrome is a topic for another day.

I have been at employed at my current workplace for six years. I have been overlooked for a promotion twice in three years. In my employment to date I have only ever received high performance reviews because I do deliver over and beyond what is expected of me. And yet, everybody wants me on their team. There is a constant road to my door from senior management, requests for my input and involvement in big and important projects which require the skills I bring to the table. Am I perhaps my own obstacle? Am I not “selling” myself enough? Am I not fully optimizing the workplace politics? Am I building the right relationships? What do I have to do to advance? Is it the economy at the moment?

As women of colour we work so hard for this small piece of a pie. As a female millennial in the new South Africa, you could have all the formal academic requirements, experience, be brilliant at your job and still not advance in the workplace.