Professional networks and mentorship are known to be valuable in supporting women’s growth within the workplace.

These schemes are important for enabling self-confidence, building connections and expanding opportunities for individuals. Women especially benefit by having some form of community or support system in place within a work environment.

The business sector has seen an increase over the years in women who can freely assert their authority, which these schemes encourage and applaud, inspiring more women to do so and to do so frequently.

The increasing networking and mentorship opportunities for women have been accompanied by a rise in women’s performance levels within the workplace.

In July 2023, Chief, and intelligence firm, Morning Consult, carried out a study researching how women in higher roles gain power and success through acquiring connections. The study produced impressive results:

‘80%+ of Surveyed Women Used Networking to Achieve Board Seats, C-Suite Positions, and Higher Pay’

‘94% of women are confident in the power of their network to support or advance their career.’

More than ready to voice their opinions and compete for promotional offers, women in business are striving to become the best versions of themselves; and many say its thanks to mentorship and networking schemes.

Women have learnt to use their empathetic traits that once defined them as weak, to connect with female colleagues and together allow women to reach their full potential in a work environment.

Speaking to Forbes, Melissa Houston states that,

"The resiliency, creativity, and determination that women bring are not only transforming the business landscape, but also inspiring a new generation of leaders."

Networking

Whether it be women finding their footing in business, or those who are more experienced, with a developed career, having the opportunity to connect with other women has proven to be hugely beneficial. Women have taken away valuable life lessons from such experiences.

Indeed, what is more powerful than a self-confident businesswoman?

A team of self-confident businesswomen.

Mentorship

Women in business who have had a mentor, either within the same company or externally, have described just how helpful having a guide can be. From giving job advice to offering steps on how to navigate one’s career, this can be crucial when factors such as the gender pay gap continue to affect many women to this day.

To gain understanding of the impacts that mentorship and networking have for women in business, Panelle’s Yoyi Clark spoke to Anouk Ewers. Anouk works with Nova Women in Business, a student club that is part of Nova, one of the best business schools in Europe.

Anouk explained how the student club connects women and helps them make an entryway into areas where it’s harder for women to get into higher positions, such as finance or tech firms.  

Working on the mentorship team, Anouk shared her insights and advice:

"In a lot of firms, for example the finance sector, women interns are often made to do the simpler tasks. The notion at Nova is to give women the confidence to stand up for themselves."

The club is set up specifically for women to create a safe space where they can talk to firms and have mentors to discuss situations that only women experience.

"The aim is to give the stage to women."

Anouk says that through the mentorship scheme, 'mentees can learn from women who have achieved a lot in their careers, such as founders with their own startups. They are given entryways into their desired scene in the business world, receiving a contact in, for example the finance sector, that they can then use to further their career.'

The mentor can also learn from the mentee in finding suitable future employees and getting an idea of the fresh talent in the student world.

"The idea is for both parties to have a positive experience."

Anouk also hosts events that connect the female students from Nova with big firms that are hard to get into and teach women important things in the workplace, such as how to negotiate with your salary.

"We always get very interesting insights. Men, if negotiating with a firm, commonly demand a budget that is way over the budget of the firm, and women always suggest a salary that is way under the minimum salary, shockingly."

One new thing that Anouk says she has implemented is 'adding a male member to the club because we thought it’s important to give men the chance to be an ally in supporting women and standing up for female rights because, of course, men are one of the biggest parts of the work system and how it operates.'

When asked about the advice that she would give to women in business who are interested in using mentorships and networking to grow their careers, however, are unsure how to get involved in these schemes, Anouk replied:

"Most universities have some kind of women in tech, business or finance schemes, which are great to join if you’re interested. Otherwise, you can find a space for yourself. You can reach out to people on LinkedIn, a great way to form connections with like-minded people.

There are way more opportunities than we think, and we should seize all the opportunities we can. My advice is to be proud of yourself and reach out for help if you need it.

As women, we have to support each other, this is the main essence of womanhood, to validate each other’s experiences, to help each other out and to understand the compilations of the work system."

Having had to deal with difficulties in getting recognised for her work as a woman on multiple occasions, Anouk is determined to give Women in Business a chance to excel in their careers and achieve great things in the workplace.

Women in business are not only surviving but thriving!

Giving more women in business the opportunity to enter into such schemes is the move that is needed to help champion their successes.

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