Introduction
The word "scientist" conjures up a picture of a man in a white laboratory coat carrying out experiments and holding a Bunsen burner over an Erlenmeyer flask. While this is true, women scientists are just as active in their fields as men.
Despite the fact that all women have struggled to thrive in a world designed for men thus far, how do millennial women's career struggles differ from those of previous generations? Millennial women have more freedom than women in previous generations, which they have seen in their families and communities for years. However, they also feel more responsible and tied to society than Gen Z women. Millennial women strive to achieve both personal and professional objectives, which makes things somewhat difficult. We are the generation of women who juggle work and family obligations the most.
Women in their 20s and 30s want to reach both personal and professional goals, which can make things a bit tough. We are the generation of women who have to balance work and family life the most. Millennial women can go after their goals like never before thanks to more opportunities and education. This means that they are able to help their communities grow professionally and economically in ways that were not possible for women in the past. Even though these changes are very exciting, they also bring new difficulties. Women now have both work and personal responsibilities, and they try to stay true to themselves and their values while doing so. This pressure to do well can be too much and often makes people feel burned out, anxious, or guilty. Many of us are also worried about the economy, which makes it harder to do well in our jobs and make a name for ourselves while also trying to reach our personal goals.
Strategies for overcoming these challenges include developing self-care practises such as yoga, exercise, and meditation, connecting with supportive peers and mentors in order to share stories and ideas, finding healthy ways to cope with stress, and giving yourself permission to fail.
Here are some tips on how you can help make it easier to get into STEM careers:
Here are some tips on how you can help make it easier to get into STEM careers:
Know where you want to go.
The first thing you should do is know your goals. If you don't know what kind of career path would be right for you and how to achieve it, then chances are that no matter how much effort and hard work you put in, it will be a waste of time.
So ask yourself some questions like:
-
What do I want? (e.g., career)
-
How can I get there? (e.g., education)
Choose friends wisely.
-
Choose friends who support your goals.
-
Choose friends who are positive and supportive.
-
Don't choose friends who are competitive with you, jealous of you or critical of your success.
Find a mentor or someone who inspires you to be better at what you do and let them know it.
Mentors are a great way to find inspiration and guidance. Mentors can be a parent, teacher or boss who has been there before you in terms of career path. They can also be people who are older than you or younger than you (depending on your situation). Most importantly mentors need to inspire you to be better at what they do!
It is important to find balance in life between personal and professional life
It's important to find balance in life between personal and professional life. This means knowing your limits and not being afraid to ask for help when you need it. It also means not letting your career overwhelm you, or let your personal life overwhelm you either--and vice versa.
If you're going through a tough time at work or with friends, don't hesitate to reach out! Sometimes things can get overwhelming when they seem insurmountable; if there's anything I've learned from my years working as a scientist, it's that there are always solutions out there if we just look hard enough for them (or ask our coworkers!).
Learn how to say "No".
Women are taught to say yes, and this can make it difficult to say no. When you have a lot of responsibilities, your time is limited. If you're asked for help or support by another person, and they aren't able to do something themselves, it's important not to take on all the work yourself. You should allow others their space while still providing them with what they need--it will make them feel better about themselves (and if they don't take advantage of the opportunity, then it's their loss).
Learning how to say no isn't just about being considerate; it has real benefits in terms of productivity and mental health too! There are some situations where saying yes may actually be detrimental: e-commerce sites like Etsy sell handmade items; however many people who buy these products may not have any experience with creating them themselves so there's often no one around who can help customers figure out what supplies they need or where those supplies might be purchased locally (if at all). Asking strangers via social media platforms like Facebook Messenger whether someone owns any sewing machines could save everyone time spent searching through Craigslist listings looking for potential solutions before giving up entirely because nobody knows anything about anything anymore...
Do what makes you happy and will make you better at your job.
There are many things that make me happy, but the one thing that makes me most happy is when I'm able to help other people. If I can help someone else, then my job has been done well. The more time and energy I spend on doing good work, the better off everyone will be in the end!
I think it's important for all of us as workers not just in science but across industries and professions to remember how important our jobs are. As scientists working in labs or offices around the world--and sometimes even those who aren't--it's important not only for us but also for others around us: if we want them (or ourselves) to succeed at what they do professionally then we need each other!
Confidence is Sexy
The confidence of a woman scientist is important for career, but it also helps to feel sexy and attractive. Women should not let other people define them and must trust their abilities and decisions.
[Picture]
Inetrnational Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021
Social media platforms for encouraging Women in STEM
The following social media platforms are all a good place to start:
- Women in STEM (WIS) is an international non-profit that helps women in STEM get involved, stay connected and advance their careers. They have a variety of programs for students and professionals alike, including mentoring, networking events, research opportunities and employment resources.
- #WomeninSTEM Stemazing to support more women in science, technology engineering Mathematics (STEM) fields at all levels of education from kindergarten through graduate school. The campaign aims to connect the kids with mentors who can help them achieve their goals--and what better way than by sharing through social media platforms
- 500womenscientists The mission of 500 Women Scientists is to serve society by making science open, inclusive, and accessible and transform society by fighting racism, patriarchy, and oppressive societal norms.
- Million Stem Global network, community & campaign providing visible female role models in STEM to next generation of girls & sharing their stories. You can get featured and become advocate.
-
stem-ambassadors Become a Stem ambassador and help future generations of scientists
Conclusion
Women now have both work and personal responsibilities, and they try to stay true to themselves and their values while doing so. This pressure to do well can be too much and often makes people feel burned out, anxious, or guilty. Many of us are also worried about the financial situation, which makes it harder to do well in our jobs and make a name for ourselves while also trying to reach our personal goals.
Strategies for overcoming these challenges include developing self-care practises such as yoga, exercise, and meditation, connecting with supportive peers and mentors in order to share stories and ideas, finding healthy ways to cope with stress, and most importantly- giving yourself permission to fail. There is a lot of work for us to do in STEM. This is an important time for women and we have the opportunity to make change happen now.