We hear the phrase “break through the glass ceiling” frequently, but what does it actually refer to? The glass ceiling is a metaphor that shows the difficulty minorities face when aiming to reach higher levels in the workforce. Imagine yourself flying up in a building, trying to succeed in your career, but you have a ceiling that stops you from progressing. Luckily for you, the ceiling is made of glass, so it’s possible to smash through … but it might hurt.
The GradGurus team have people from BAME backgrounds who completely understand the struggles that minority’s face, and we’ve put together a few tips to make that journey easier.
- Take advantage of being BAME
If you’re BAME or a woman or any other minority group EMBRACE IT! There are so many opportunities out there, including specific programmes for BAME students which give you the chance to progress at a quicker rate. Make sure you seek these opportunities out, and take advantage of them. For example, in your first year at university, organisations host insight days for BAME students, these events can lead to a fast track for an internship for your second year at university.
2. Seek comfort in others like you
Having a support group, whether it be your friends, or people you meet at a networking event who have similar experiences, really helps. It’s always nice to be able to talk to someone about how you felt like the “odd one out” when you attended a networking event or how you felt that you needed to change to fit-in at an interview. By talking to people and having a support group it gives you an outlet to speak to someone, but also have other people who can relate.
3. Find a mentor
Finding a mentor isn’t easy, but if you manage to find one then you’ve hit the jackpot. A mentor is a great way to understand the different levels of your career. Getting a job out of university is one thing, but knowing how to progress your career is vital. By attending networking events or making connections during an insight day or internship, you can try and find someone who you think you might be able to relate to, and simply ask them if they’d like to be your mentor. Having a mentor and being a mentor allows us to help each other out, so eventually the glass ceiling might not exist, or at least be easier to smash through for future generations.
4. Make others aware of your needs
Sometimes as a BAME student, there are things which are important to you, that you might shy away from to fit in. Do you need to pray at work? Do you want to wear a durag/do-rag? Do you not feel comfortable in environments with alcohol? Make people aware. You don’t need to shout about it, or send a company wide email. But tell the people you’re close to, or the people that matter e.g., line manager or HR representative. By making your needs clear, there will be an element of respect for you. You need to remember a lot of these things are your rights, especially in a time where inclusion and diversity is so important.
5. Be yourself
Finally, the most important thing, is to be yourself. Why is it important? Well, as Via says in the movie “Wonder”; “You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.”. Live by this quote, and you’ll feel more comfortable in your skin, and people will respect you more knowing that you know what you want. There’s always the danger here, that people might not like your authentic self … my suggestion here, is to completely ignore it, and be true to yourself — don’t let anyone take that away from you. To be BAME is to be a minority, and to feel strange at times, so, do yourself a favour and don’t mould yourself to fit in. Smash that glass ceiling, by being your authentic self.
We hope you’ve found this blog useful. GradGurus is hosting an event on the October 9th about being Muslim in the workplace. Although this event is about being Muslim, it is open for everyone to attend and we aim to provide useful insights for everyone. Join in and hear about experiences BAME students have found in their career. Watch our LinkedIn for more information about the event.
