10 Ways to Give Back Professionally to Women in STEM

Think back to your early career. Did you have a more senior colleague who gave you good advice and helped you through sticky situations?

You’ve probably learned a lot since those days, and have moved up the professional ranks as a result. You might be a senior level contributor now, or a manager.

When you really stop to think about what you’ve learned, you’ll probably be surprised by how much knowledge you’ve built up over your career.

Now is the time to start giving back.

If you’re in a STEM role, it’s especially important to give back to young women in the field. Women make up half of the college-educated workforce in the US but they only comprise 29% of the science and engineering workforce.

Since STEM jobs are higher-paying, it’s critical to encourage women to seek out STEM careers if we want to continue to equalize male and female wages.

As a woman in STEM, you can find ways to give back to future generations! Here are 10 ideas you can start with:

 

1) Give advice kindly and freely

Let early-career colleagues know that you’re always available to answer questions. Sometimes people will have answers about technology and assignments. They might need to know about some workplace politics. Sometimes co-workers need help navigating a sticky interpersonal situation.

Whatever it is, if you maintain an open-door policy and give helpful advice, people will know that they can come to you. Just knowing that the option is there can really encourage people when they’re stuck!

Don’t forget to be tactful in your comments. You don’t want to be discouraging or petty here. Provide feedback when asked, and provide unsolicited feedback thoughtfully.

2) Take a personal interest

We spend a lot of time at work! When we’re there, we want to be seen as humans – not as cogs in the wheel. Sometimes I think that, as we get older, we think our personal lives are more intense than those of younger colleagues.

I’m now at the point where I have a husband, kids and a house. But my personal life is no more important than that of a co-worker without kids. Take an interest in the lives of the people you spend your work days with!

3) Show that you make mistakes

Back in the day, when I first started my job, I was terrified of making a mistake. Since then, I’ve made  a TON of mistakes. I still don’t like it, but I know that’s how I learn and grow.

Now I’m extremely open with my team members about the professional mistakes I’ve made. I figure that this helps them in two ways. First, they realize that no one is perfect! And second, maybe I can help them avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

A growth mindset is key to being successful, and it’s critical to model a growth mindset as well as encourage it in early-career co-workers.

4) Work with a college student or intern in your field

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a college intern at my company. She worked in a different area, so I didn’t manage her day to day tasks. Instead, we just talked about technology, the company, and work situations.

It was really impressive to hear what this intern was working on. She gave me a few ideas! And I had fun answering her questions about professional life and more. I think this sort of relationship is really helpful to have. A network can help a recent college graduate with job hunting, first job jitters, and more.

5) Become involved in an industry group

Look for an industry group in your area to join! Many organizations in my area meet monthly or quarterly, and sponsor lots of interesting events. You can attend talks, networking events, job fairs and more through industry-specific organizations.

You can also lend your expertise and experience to those who are newer to the field. Maybe you can even give a presentation or serve as an group leader! This is a great way to share some of the knowledge that you’ve built up over the years.

6) Volunteer to participate in mock interviews

If you’re a hiring manager, your perspective can be really valuable for people on the job market. Ask your local college’s career services if they are looking for volunteers for mock interviews. Check with local industry groups to see if they offer such a service.

Interviews can be very daunting, especially for those interested in STEM fields. Candidates often wonder what they will be asked and how to best prepare. Hiring managers in these areas can provide very specific feedback that will help potential hires enter interviews with confidence.

I guarantee that you’ll also have a ton of fun getting to know people through mock interviews!

7) Volunteer to review or edit resumes

If you can’t make big time commitments to mock interview days, you can also volunteer to review and edit resumes. Your feedback as an experienced professional can be invaluable to someone just starting out in your industry. They won’t necessarily know the trends and buzzwords like you will.

Another set of eyes on a resume or cover letter can also be really helpful to catch any typos or inconsistencies. Sometimes you’re just too close to your own resume to see this sort of thing.

8) Write about what you’ve learned

Some people enjoy writing about what they’ve learned in their career. Career-related articles and blog posts are super popular on LinkedIn. Medium has a number of publications that accept career and professional development articles.

Your own company might also be looking for content to publish on their own channels. You might be able to write a blog post or do a webinar to share what you know! This will both help others increase your own profile – a win/win.

9) Speak up

If you see a woman being treated unfairly, speak up. Help her address the situation, or say something yourself if you’re in a position to do so. There are often unconscious biases at work against women. The more we tackle these issues head-on, the more progress women can collectively make in the workplace.

These are often seemingly minor issues. For example, I always speak up when someone else is reluctant to give a big assignment to a woman who is just returning from maternity leave. I prefer to let the new mom make the choice rather than decide for her. This is the kind of thing that’s minor as a one-off, but over time can reduce the opportunities a woman has for advancement.

10) Give stretch assignments

If you’re in a position to assign work to people, make sure you’re giving them stretch assignments. These are projects that you’re not 100% sure they’ll succeed in. No one can grow and learn if they aren’t challenged. To develop someone well, you and they have to risk failure.

That’s OK! Everyone fails. The key is get back up and keep going.

Giving Back

Find at least one way to give back and you will be rewarded many times over. Working with people new to your industry is so invigorating. You’ll find yourself with new ideas and a new enthusiasm for your job. And you will have helped someone else find their own perfect career path!