Susan McGalla Gives Advice for Women to Achieve Future Success

PITTSBURGH, Pa., Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past century advocacy for change in the conditions and standards for women in the workplace has become a national conversation. Data from The United States Department of Labor shows that in the mid 20th century one in five women participated in the labor force. Today women compose 46.9% of the labor force but only make up 14.6% of executive officers. Businessperson Susan McGalla notes that while there is a continued growth in demand for female labor in America, many women still find it difficult to advance in the workplace.

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Susan McGalla, the founder of P3 Executive Consulting, LLC, is an expert consultant to clients on branding, marketing, talent management, operational efficiencies and more. McGalla has spoken about her views on how to get ahead as a woman in business to audiences such as Women and Girl's Foundation of Pittsburgh and at the Carnegie Mellon University Conference for CEOs. Today Susan McGalla wants to offer women three important strategies and tactics to achieve their desired success.

1. Higher Education, Greater Opportunities

"Women make up almost half of the professional workers in the United Stated and it is important to continue those efforts of growth," says McGalla. "In order to succeed in a male-dominated workplace, the number of university educated women needs to increase in this skill-dependent economy."

Susan McGalla advises young women to not be intimidated by the growing cost of a higher education, but rather to rely on smart planning and choosing financial aid and scholarships that cater to their skill set. McGalla notes that there is already an increase of women in higher education that is hard to overlook. "College enrollment rates for women continue to exceed that of men, which will in the forthcoming year put women ahead in the 'war for talent,'" says McGalla.

2. Continued Confidence

The achievement of higher education may increase opportunities for women, but once entering the workforce the surrounding environment can lead women to feel less confident in pursuing their future careers within a company. McGalla points to a study conducted by Bain & Company that suggests that over time women's aspiration levels drop by 60% due to the influence of management.

"It is necessary to find support and built a network of influencers," says McGalla. "The climbing desire to succeed is what will produce higher quality of work to achieve higher management positions."

3. Ignore the Glass Ceiling

Susan McGalla says she owes her personal success to ignoring the "glass ceiling" and instead focusing on her work ethic. "My angle on this in my career was not to 'break the glass ceiling,'" McGalla explains. "To make the point, I never carried a chip on my shoulder of what I should be entitled to as a woman or what prejudices existed."

While social arrangements of gender-designated roles continue to dominate the workplace, McGalla encourages women to persevere. "Don't be the subject of prejudice and discrimination. Don't reinforce stereotypes and let your work speak for itself," says McGalla.

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SOURCE Susan McGalla