Cultivating Your Career for Success

From social media tools to professional associations and social clubs, there are so many resources these days for women to advance their careers.

Yet, although women have made inroads into leadership positions in healthcare in the past decade, several career advancement challenges remain.

It can be difficult, for example, for a woman to envision herself as a leader when there are too few female role models with similar career goals and life experiences. That was definitely a challenge for me during my journey to becoming a physician leader.

For many women, one of the greatest tools at their disposal can also be the most difficult to use—their own voice.

Advocating for yourself takes courage and ambition, and this can be tough for some women, who might be more reluctant to brag about their accomplishments to avoid the perception of being too aggressive, a trait that still seems to go against cultural norms for women. But moving up the career ladder requires first finding your voice and then speaking up for change while seeking support from those who inspire you and those you would like to emulate.

It is especially critical at the beginning of a career journey to reach out and connect with those in higher positions for advice and to learn from their experiences. During my first week in medical school, for instance, an ED physician agreed to let me shadow him, though I didn’t even know how to use a stethoscope. 

This physician became a great role model, mentor and someone to emulate. Because of my experience working with him, I fell in love with emergency medicine. 

Reaching out to others is a mainstay along the career journey. Women should be sure to use all the networks available to them—not just those in healthcare. Professional networks include people who share your goals, who understand your vision and value, and who recognize your ability to grow. It is also important to connect with professional networks and associations that are empowering and will help to champion your growth. 

The key to cultivating your career is being intentional about it. When I was in business school in Philadelphia, for example, I reached out to numerous alumni, including presidents of large hospital systems, requesting a chance to talk and learn about their professional experience. My diligence paid off, as one medical director took a train to Philadelphia to meet with me. I asked him why he would go to that length, and he said it was because I took the initiative—I reached out to him.

No one ever counsels you about this, but self-advocacy requires persistence, and a lot of it. Reaching out to 10 people may result in nine rejections, but that’s part of the calculus of building a professional network. It does take courage, but that will build over time. Believe it or not, people want to be approached. There are always people who are willing to help.

Finding mentors also requires joining all kinds of networks and groups, from alumni associations to church groups, even those that focus on hobbies. Volunteering is another way to meet people who share interests and values and might provide an avenue into a new role. Reunions—high school, college and even family—also represent opportunities to network. Social media tools are great resources for developing a brand, keeping a network updated on achievements, and simply staying connected to others. LinkedIn is a powerful tool to announce career moves or put out feelers for advancement.

Overall, building a professional community is extremely important and bidirectional; think of it as a network made up of not only peers or mentors but also those at the beginning of their career. This community can be referred to as a circle of “adopted mentees” who you regularly check in on. For example, if an early careerist recently attained a nursing degree, you can ask, “Okay, what’s next?” Or, if someone earns an MBA, you can touch base with him or her and ask, “How can I help?” One way is to think about who that person’s advocate can be. It’s all part of the network circle—what goes around comes around and everyone moves forward.

I’ve also been honored to participate in professional groups within the organization where I work such as the Women’s Leadership Alliance and Black Executive Alliance. These networks can become sounding boards for your work, another vehicle for networking with colleagues and provide an avenue for mentoring others.

Finally, listening to mentors and acting promptly on their advice is critical. For instance, data shows that women often wait too long to seek career advancement; they instead want to make sure they’ve checked all the boxes before making a move. Before I became a CMO, that’s what I was doing, and I didn’t even realize it. My mentor knew I was ready for a CMO position before I did. He told me I had the experience and the credentials and provided the name of an executive recruiter.

But when I called the recruiter, he told me I was too young and that I needed another 20 years of experience. He said my goal had “delusions of advancement.” That only served as motivation. If I was unsure of my confidence before that call, I was sure after I hung up. My mentor knew my experience, he knew me, and he knew that I was well prepared to serve and lead an entire team of physicians at one of New Jersey’s leading medical facilities. 

Despite all the challenges I’ve faced as a woman in my quest to build my career, I also have to say that I feel immensely blessed to have had so many opportunities and privileges to have the platform to influence and use my voice to make positive change.

Reaching this point in my career was made possible through reaching out to others for support, advocating for myself, and being open to joining various groups and organizations for networking opportunities—all the essentials that should be part of every woman’s toolbox for career advancement. 

Ije Akunyili, MD, is CMO of Jersey City (N.J.) Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility.

 The American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) is a network of leaders committed to excellence in healthcare and achieving their personal best.

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