So it's the middle of October already... how are those career resolutions shaping up for 2010?  If you're thinking "what resolutions?" - you're not alone.  It's been a big year all around the world and here in Australia we've worked hard to keep our economy in ship shape.  Combined with new policies that will benefit women, we're shaping up for the perfect storm for women in business for 2011 and  If you want to capitalise on the opportunities this will present, you'll need to reflect on what you've gained from 2010 and refocus on what you're looking to achieve in your career and in business over what will be a very exciting way to do this.  To help you do this, we've structured the perfect day of personal and professional development to be held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney during November and December. These opportunities and more are yours if you register this week: Read More

On Tuesday I delivered a presentation to the CPA Business Women's network in Sydney on the ASX guidelines and what it means for the War for Female Talent that is really hotting up.  I believe that 2011 is shaping up to be a big year for women in business: the new ASX guidelines require companies to report on gender diversity in executive roles and board positions; Australia’s first universal paid parental leave scheme commences; and 8th March will mark 100 years of International Women’s Day.  Together these events are creating a "perfect storm" of opportunity for women in business. Read More

If you’ve ever been responsible for establishing employee development programs, conferences or leadership offsites, you’ll know just difficult it can be to find fantastic, out of this world, leading-edge service providers.  In a sea of social media and spin, my vast network send me calls for help every day – by email, LinkedIn, twitter and the sphinxx website - all looking for advice about who they should hire for their own professional development needs, or to supplement their in-house women's programs. Read More

One in 12 women has felt sexually harassed in the workplace but less than half have reported it to another member of staff, according to a recent survey of 1,500 women conducted by HR consultancy Reabur.  The research found that women often did not report sexual harassment because they felt it would affect their future career or that they would not be taken seriously or would be accused of over-reacting.  Other findings of the survey include: Read More

I was thrilled to receive Kate's email yesterday announcing she had taken out the ACT Telstra Businesswoman Award for 2010.  Many of you know Kate Sykes - she has been a speaker at Ascend - and CareerMums, that seeks to help parents re-enter the workforce.  I'm sure you'll agree with me that Kate is a worthy recipient of this top honor, as well as a fabulous advocate for working women, and her recognition with this award further reinforces the rising priority for business to find and keep the best women on their teams. Read More

For anyone serious about climbing the exec ladder in their career, there is going to be a fair bit of self promotion involved. With so many candidates for every promotion who have the same degree, similar experiences and usually similar skills and personalities thanks to highly competitive recruitment processes, the need to get your contribution noticed is critical to success. Women have long been lectured to promote themselves, to make sure their contribution is noticed but a question many of us who work with professional women is “what is the cost of self promotion”. Read More

I know we all think we've got the best mum in the world, right?  But my mum really is special.  She does special things for me all the time... like buying me this book not long after my son was born and I was trying to resolve my identity crisis and determine when and how return to work. If you are about to enter the world of parenthood (yikes!) or you have friends or colleagues who are returning to work, this is a great gift to buy for them.  It's supposed to be for the kids, of course, but like Shrek and Toy Story and all those great movies for kids that are really also for adults, this little book will give you the boost you need during bedtime reading! Read More

Reputation, performance and possibility of promotion or growth. These 3 concerns are common for all professional workers, but they can hard to gauge the comparative worth of your standing with those around you. This article promotes three key questions for assessing your company’s strategic position simply. Read More

An MBA is a considerable investment in every way. But there is a lot of discussion around if the returns you receive are actually worth it, or if it helps you achieve equal pay status with men. This Forbes Women column by Tara Sophia Mohr explores her own experience with an MBA, as a less then traditional candidate. It’s a great read and she’s honest about her experiences, good and bad. Read More

Now that we are seeing more people change jobs I’m consistently asked for salary negotiation advice: something near and dear to my heart, because it can be the source of much mis-understanding, frustration and disappointment on the part of the employee.  There is nothing worse than starting a new job feeling as though you are being underpaid.  This issue is especially prevalent for women.  We have a hard time asking for what we deserve and backing ourselves when challenged.   Read More