6 No-Nonsense Career Tips for Women to Get Ahead, Be Noticed and Become Leaders  

I recently met with a young woman who told me a female executive (her supervisor and her mentor) advised her to “Keep her head down and don’t ask too many questions. That’s how I’ve lasted for so long.”

Wait…. WHAT?! Disbelief. Shock. Those are the things I felt when I heard those words. A seasoned, female leader telling a young, promising woman to keep her head down and stay quiet? Not good advice.

So what is the best kind of advice to give to young professional women seeking mentorship and guidance? Do you always know what to say? Don’t be afraid to tell it like it is. In the long run, it’s more helpful. Below are a few tips I’ve communicated in the past. 

Keep Your Head Up, and Be Present
There is a difference between staying “top of mind” and being annoying. There is an art to staying in front of company leaders and making yourself known around the office. You want to come across as accessible and helpful. But you definitely can’t waltz around like you already own the company.

How do you become the promising new employee versus the talkative know-it-all? Simple. Ease into it. Be around when everyone is getting coffee or having lunch in the office. Make it a point to meet new people, but remember, listen first and talk second. The art of listening can be extremely powerful, and garners trust. Talk second and you’ll be able to form deeper relationships because you’ll be able to speak to things you may have in common.

Volunteer to help with various types of projects, especially those that make you a little uncomfortable. Stay genuine, helpful and inquisitive. Make your co-workers feel that you want to be a team player and they’ll start seeking you out for help. Keep your head up. Be present.

Ask the Right Questions
There are right and wrong questions. More than that, a lot of times it’s the way you ask the question. There are some people who ask questions but still sound condescending. (Not sure how they pull that off, but it’s possible — it’s like, “I’m asking you this question because you sound like an idiot.” Don’t be that person.)

Instead, ask meaningful questions that really help you understand more about the project, the company and how you can help. (Notice the word “help” is a theme here? Not an accident. Always be helpful.) Ask questions that show you took the time to read the assignment, and did some research. Ask questions that uncover where your contribution will be the most beneficial. (Note: What you want to do may not always be what you need to do.) And never ask questions that could have been answered by Google, waste people’s time or make them feel uneasy.

Regardless, never stop asking (the right) questions. Do not keep quiet. That way, you’ll never stop learning and will always be able to provide value.

Provide Solutions Not Problems
Okay, you found a problem. What is the solution? One way to gain appreciation and adoration from your supervisor is to bring them solutions and not bog them down with more problems. If you uncover something that could be a stumbling block or recognize a mistake, first think of what you could offer as a solution. Even if it’s not the right answer, the fact you took time to try and figure it out in an effort to make your colleague’s job easier will go a loooooong way. Presenting a problem without providing an idea to resolve it only creates more work. Your boss will be extremely thankful for the time saved if you’ve already come up with a good solution. And look, you’ve established yourself as a trusted and helpful employee. Maybe I’ll consider them for that next big project or promotion. See how that works?

Keep a Positive Attitude
The power of positive attitude can’t be harped on enough. You don’t have to be all sunshine and rainbows every second, every hour, every day of the week (actually, we want to punch those people), but you do need to have an overall positive demeanor. That’s just normal human nature. People don’t want to be around someone who is always doom-and-gloom in life or around the office. Be fun, be playful, tell (appropriate) jokes, rip on your co-workers from time to time and, occasionally, you can even curse your client. At the end of the day, you need to know and believe everything will work out, and you can’t be an angry stress ball all the time. People remember those co-workers that make them feel good. A positive attitude paired with a great work ethic will get you far.

Mind that Attire Matters
It’s not fair, but what a woman wears to work matters. You’re either going to look put together and polished, be tagged the woman who wears clubbing attire to the office or you can fall into the “casual” trap and dress like you’re camping out on your couch everyday. Hopefully the answer here is obvious. You want to be put together and polished. People say, “Dress for the job you want.” There’s a lot of truth in that.

Make Friends with the Right People
Yes, it is possible to befriend the wrong people in the office. They may be great to hang out with outside of work hours, but still be a terrible co-worker. How do you spot the wrong office friend? Here are a few hints.

• Every time you see them, they’re spending way too much time talking about their personal life, rather than about work.
• You’ll start getting looks from your coworkers when that person comes around your desk to talk about the weekend…for the tenth time that day.
• You overhear other coworkers making negative comments about said person’s work ethic.
• You notice other coworkers aren’t talking to you as much or walk away when your “office friend” tries to join the conversation.

This person is not there because they care about their job. This person will drag you down with them if you let them, and it’s unfortunate, since they’re a friend, but a poor work colleague. It’s important to befriend those at the office who that can help you advance and have a genuine concern for your success. There are also those necessary people you are able to commiserate with. But, you’re still talking about work and how to get past it. We all need a little office vent session now and again. (Just not about boyfriends or bank account problems.)

Those are just a few professional tips. At the very least, for all women out there who have been told “head down, stay quiet,” please don’t do it. Instead, head up, ask questions!