Imagine being the only woman in a boardroom, being underestimated or ignored. If you want to break the ceiling and meet your goals, here is how to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated industry.

Careers are changing rapidly, and women’s ambitions are changing alongside them. Women no longer think their career options are limited to traditional female roles. Women are expanding their minds and skill sets, but that doesn’t mean the journey is easy. Male-dominated industries still exist, and they come with challenges, preconceptions, and stereotypes that seem to stick. In the article, we’ll help you overcome challenges and thrive in your career.

What are Examples of Male-dominated Industries

How often have you heard young girls say that they want to grow up to be a firefighter, pilot, or an engineer? Probably not that often, and that should change. According to Business Insider, these jobs are still predominantly occupied by men:

Financial Analysts – only 38% of financial analysts are female

Architects – only 25.5% of architects are female

Aerospace engineers – only 7.8% of women are aerospace engineers

Pilots and Flight engineers – only 5.2% of them are female

Television, media operators, and editors – women make up 21.4% of the field.

Construction Industry – women make up 9.9% of the construction industry

Firefighters – only 3.5% of them are women.
Farmers -only 24.4% of farmers in the US are women

The landscape may look daunting, but there is also good news. According to The Wall Street Journal, women now make up 59.5% of college students and are gearing up to enter the workforce.

But despite women’s ambition, determination, and knowledge, you may still feel anxious and underestimated at work. There are reasons for this.

What Are the Top Challenges of Working in a Male-dominated Industry?

Unfortunately, women still face challenges in the workplace, and we need to be aware of them to challenge them.

Women Are Expected to be Caregivers

Despite strides in the right direction, inspiring mompreneurs taking center stage, and the rise of the remote husband, women are still seen as the primary caretakers. Workplaces hold back on offering promotions because they expect women to eventually retreat to their expected roles – a mother or caregiver. But women are doing both and successfully integrating family and business into their lives.

challenges of working in a male dominated indsutry

Discrimination and Imposter Syndrome

Women still experience discrimination in the workplace. Workplaces often question women’s leadership and managerial abilities. Women also often lack confidence, a challenge for female entrepreneurs and businesswomen. We must cultivate a sense of belonging for everyone in the workplace, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion.

Lack of Development Opportunities and Unequal Pay

The gender pay gap still exists globally, and women of color and underrepresented ethnic groups are more affected. According to MIT Sloan School, women are also less likely to be promoted despite sometimes receiving higher performance ratings. Women’s performance is underscored by gender, and it is time to change that.

How You Can Succeed as a Woman in a Male-dominated Industry

We have some tips on how to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated industry and tackle these challenges. You can meet your career goals by playing up to your unique strengths, networking, and building confidence. Here are 7 ways to excel at work.

Let Go of Perfectionism and Be Brave Instead

Reshma Saujani, best-selling author of Brave, says girls should strive for bravery and not perfection. You shouldn’t work to avoid risk and failure, as you won’t learn or advance. Be bold in your career, raise a hand for a project, put yourself forward for a promotion, and be willing to try and fail. Brave people can do remarkable things, and so can you.

Build Confidence

Confidence can help you advocate for your ideas, voice your opinion, form better relationships, communicate more clearly, and take risks. In male-dominated workplaces where you feel overlooked and underestimated, it is important to push yourself forward even when you don’t feel like it. Luckily, confidence is a skill; like any skill, it needs to be practiced, revised, and improved.

Here are some confidence-building exercises that you can try:

Set Goals
Try Power Poses for Women
Prepare to Feel More Confident
Use Powerful Affirmations
Practice Communicating and Rehearse Business Scenarios

First, Focus on People

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed in your workplace, take a moment to focus on people. Think about how you can be respected rather than liked, which can help you communicate unapologetically. With this mindset, you can strategically develop good working relationships and networks, which could lead to a promotion or a raise.

Celebrate Your Wins

Taking a moment to reflect on your journey can boost your morale and confidence. Acknowledging your achievements isn’t about arrogance; it’s about empowerment. And women in male-dominated industries should feel empowered, so take a moment to acknowledge every big and small accomplishment. Celebrating your wins can also help you to build positive relationships with your colleagues and teams, regardless of gender.

Here are simple ways to celebrate your wins:

Create a Social Media Shout-out
Have a one-on-one Coffee Catchup at a Cafe
Present Your Findings
Create a Gratitude Wall
Give Yourself a Development Opportunity

Find Female Mentors

You may feel lonely or isolated in a male-dominated workplace. By finding female role models or colleagues, you can feel a sense of belonging, glean advice, and develop professionally. If you can’t find female mentors in your workplace, turn to communities or networks for female professionals. Podcasts and books can also give guidance and help you to develop professionally.

Recommended Reading: The 10 Best Business Books for Women

Play Up to Your Strengths

People often stereotype what traits women and men have in the workplace. But this view is old-fashioned and holds no weight; we are all unique and have our own strengths. Be aware of your talents, and use them to your advantage.

If you are empathetic, you can show how you actively try to understand users’ or colleagues’ problems. If you are strategic, show your high-level planning and visionary skills. Your top skills will complement any workplace, so always look for opportunities to showcase them.

Find a Good Culture or Work to Change It

Company culture is more than a ping-pong table in your office; it sets the scene for behavior, beliefs, and practices.

As a woman in a male-dominated field, it can affect how you operate, behave, and interact with your colleagues. Leaders set the tone for a good company culture, so think about how you can change or challenge beliefs and experiences. If we do this, more women will persist and succeed in male-dominated industries.

5 Examples of Successful Women in Male-dominated Industries

If you are looking for more inspiration on your journey, these 5 women are thriving in male-dominated industries and have some advice on how you can succeed, too.

Reshma Saujani

Reshma Saujani is challenging male-dominated industries in more ways than one. She formerly ran for Congress and founded Girls Who Code, a nonprofit that aims to bridge the gap between girls and boys in the computer science classroom.

When Reshma ran for Congress, she got a few votes and failed in that sense, but she still sees it as one of her biggest accomplishments. It was one of her proudest moments because it was the bravest thing she had ever done.

Reshma Saujani says, “Never give up. People will always discount you, and you’ll always get rejected. But set your sights high. Be boldly ambitious. Be relentless and never give up.”

Anne Ackerley

Anne Ackerley is the managing director and head of retirement at BlackRock. She is also the co-founder of BlackRock’s Women’s Network and often talks about women and investments. Ackerley advocates for women in leadership, investing, and gender equity and has won multiple awards for female leadership, including awards from Barrons, Yahoo Finance, and Forbes.

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In an interview with The Women’s Forum of New York, she says that early in her career in investment banking, she had a female mentor who gave her a seat at the table. Now, she wants to help more women get seats and network opportunities.

Jeanne Gang

Jeanne Gang created the tallest woman-built building in the world, the St. Regis Chicago. She didn’t just break glass ceilings – she built skyscrapers and then went on to found Studio Gang, an architect and urban design practice.

She also wants to design and lay the foundation for equality for women in architecture. She was shocked to discover a pay gap when starting her journey. Now, Fast Company reported that she has closed the pay gap at her firm and urges others to do the same. She wants to level the playing ground regarding creativity, and pay is a good place to start.

Helen Greiner

Helen Greiner went to MIT and after watching Star Wars, she fell in love with robots. She soon discovered no one knew how to build good robots, so she decided to build her own. She then co-founded iRobot.

Helen Greiner has also worked with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and as an advisor to the U.S. Military. She is most proud of the robots sent to Afhigatstan and Iraq that saved hundreds of lives.

Greiner is a great example of how women can thrive in male-dominated industries and fall in love with an unlikely hero.

Rachel Morrison

Photograph by Steve Dietl / Netflix / Everett

Rachel Morrison became the first woman nominated for an Oscar in cinematography in 2018. She received this award for the movie, Mudbound. This historic moment for women is overdue, and Morrison believes more women need to enter the industry with cameras strapped to their sides and big visions imprinted in their minds.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Morrison says, “Women are so qualified they should just go for it. It’s not just about cinematography, it’s about believing in yourself and that anything’s possible.”

You Can Succeed, Too

Being a woman in a male-dominated industry can be a challenge, but there is a lot you can do to prosper in your career. And the landscape is changing as more women enter the workforce, break stereotypes, and enter male-dominated spaces.

If you have ever wondered how to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated industry, these tips can help you. Start by thinking of your strengths, being brave, and building confidence. With these strategies, you can succeed and help even more women fearlessly enter male-dominated industries. You may even create robots, run for Congress, or design skyscrapers one day.

Now is your time to think big, get inspired, and feel empowered.