3 Unexpected Secrets That Helped These Women Leaders Ace Their Careers

3 Unexpected Secrets That Helped These Women Leaders Ace Their Careers Knowing how to advance your career path in any industry can feel daunting. Knowing how to advance it as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated environment can be even more so.You cant, as the adage goes, be what you cant see. And within the world of professional tafelgeschirr firms, this could help to explain why so few women sit at the helm according to one 2018 globalstudy, only nine percent of senior consulting leaders today are women.Thankfully,PwCis one firm thats helping women be what theycansee, with an award-winning commitment to advancing its female talent including aTop 10 spot on Fairygodboss Best Companies for Womenranking. The numbers are certainly in the firms favor at PwC, 42% of managers and executives are women, and 100% of women employees participate in career counseling and mentoring programs.PwC is hiring Browse opportunities.We had the opportunity to speak with three women leaders at PwC a bout the ins and outs of their career paths, the ways theyve been supported in advancing those paths, and their top pieces of advice to otzu sichbei women.Xiaoxiao Xu PwC Manager, BostonSecret to Advancing Embracing ChangeXiaoxiao Xus career path hasnt only crossed levels of seniority at PwC its crossed continents.Born and raised in Beijing, Xu first went to college in China before coming to the U.S. for her masters in accounting at the College of William and Mary. After graduating, at a time when many of her peers were focused on finding jobs in a specific city, Xu says her focus welches instead on finding a position that involved the best platform and opportunities and client portfolio. Many of the clients she wished to build key, foundational relationships with were back in Beijing however, there was one problem with the idea of returning there.Back in China, it sounds really crazy probably, but because the job market there is really, really competitive, a lot of the job descrip tions actually explicitly say that theyre looking for men and leid women, Xu, who elended that this isnt specific to professional services.Thats why Xu was thrilled to discover PwCs amtsstube in Beijing, which she describes as being completely gender equal.I was very welcomed and also felt very comfortable about the culture, she said. They appreciate women and they care about people and provide flexibility to its people. I also wanted to work in one of the leading accounting firms, and thats what PwC is. We have a great client portfolio, and I can learn not only from my colleagues, but from my clients as well.Xu had the opportunity to learn from her colleagues once again when the opportunity arose for her to relocate to a succession of PwC locations in the U.S., first in New Jersey, later in New York, and now in Boston.There were learning curves, because first of all English is not my first language and Id been speaking in Chinese and writing everything in Chinese for almost 30 year s, she said. The culture is different. This is maybe minor to people here, but I never drove in China in New Jersey, I needed to drive 40 minutes each way to my client and I was terrified.Luckily, Xu found that she had a strong backbone in her family at PwC, who was there to help her every step of the way.With my work and with my team, I can ask any questions, about my life, too, like how to rent a car and how to do this and that, and everyone has been so supportive and so helpful its not like Oh, youre just my colleague and I dont care whats going on with your weekend trip, Xu said. Theyve really brought me in. My coworker invited me toThanksgiving dinnerwith her family, and we all ordered takeout for Chinese New Year, which was my first takeout experience.The level of support shes found at PwC has been instrumental not only as Xu has changed office locations, but as shes changed roles from assurance to advisory within the company and advanced her career path, as well. Given the frequency of change within Xus path, its understandable some might believe achieving growth was difficult. However, she says this isnt true at all quite the opposite.Career change, in my experience, hasnt dragged my career path, but on the other hand has actually helped me, she said. At PwC, we are a global network of member firms, and change has been beneficial in that Ive developed unique skill sets and can provide a better service to my client, and I can also help my team grow different skill sets, as well.Ilka Vazquez PwC Principal, New YorkSecret to Advancing AskingIlka Vazquez can easily identify the first move that precipitated her evolution to becoming a Principal at PwC. She asked for it.Something that women tend to miss is asking for what they want and articulating where they want to go, Vazquez said. The first step in my path to being invited to the Partnership was to let people know that this I wanted and saw myself as becoming one. Next came asking for the support to g et there who did I need to connect with, and who would help me make the connection?When it comes to finding and maintaining mentoring relationships, she recommends not hesitating to remind mentors of your achievements and potential.You need to communicate your value-add to people that are influential so that they can help pave the way for you, Vazquez said. If you want your career mentor to know how impactful youve been, document it for them so that its handy. Dont rely on them remembering what you once told them over a cup of coffee or lunch be proactive and show that you care.Thats advice that she gives to all of her own mentees today. And as a Partner sponsor forPwCs lateinamerikaner Inclusion Network, as well as for itsWorking Moms Group, the Puerto Rican born-and-raised Vazquez has the opportunity to mentor a not inconsiderable crowd.Ive had amazing mentors, both male and female, Latinos and non-Latinos, she said. The Latino Inclusion Network has given me the opportunity to pa y it forward and show our Latino staff that we really care about their personal and professional development and help them strive for greatness.As for her involvement with the firms Working Moms Group, Vazquez advises members to be vocal about what they need in order to find their balance with work and family especially considering that in a supportive environment like PwC, where 70% of employees telecommute, stigmatism around flexibility isnt a fear.Women should be proactive about communicating what they want and need, she said, adding that theres a serious commitment to wohlbefinden and balance at the firm. You have to give yourself a chance in the first place.Elizabeth Diep PwC Partner, New YorkSecret to Advancing Finding ChampionsElizabeth Dieps roots at PwC run deep. Today a Partner, Diep got her start at the firm fresh out of college and on the heels of an internship at Morgan Stanley. Working at PwC had always been an aspiration, though she says she couldnt have visualized b ack then that her path would eventually take her all the way to the top.Quite honestly, for my first couple of years at the firm, I really just wanted to learn a lot and deliver every step of the way that was my focus, Diep said. It wasnt until I became a manager that one of the Partners I was really close with, who was an early mentor, pulled me to the side and said, Liz, what are you thinking about your career here at the firm? Is Partner something you have on your radar?This wasnt her only mentor at PwC, she said, who helped her recognize her own potential for advancement.The next thing I knew I became a senior manager, and I had a lot of wonderful people around me and a lot of Partners who I worked with that started to mentor me and say, Okay, lets think about what Partnership will look like for you, she explained.The fact Diep had supportive peers as well as senior leaders invested in her at PwC was instrumental in pushing her path forward. So was, she added, her practice of co nducting regular self-assessments.At different times in my career, I did honest self-assessments what do I think my strengths are at this point in time, and what do I honestly think I need to work on? she said. Sometimes they were technical areas and other times they were about managing and deepening my client relationships. I would identify only two or three things to focus on at a time, and they were all areas I knew would get me to the next step on my path.Diep stressed the importance of utilizing the thought leaders around you something shes fortunate not to have a shortage of at PwC at times of growth like these.There are many times in your career when youre not going to have the answer, but you dont have to you just have to know who does, she said, adding that the relationships shes been able to build, both with clients and internally, are her favorite part of day-to-day life at the firm. Make sure you have those experts in your speed dial.Of course, getting to the next ru ng on your career ladder only counts for so much if the environment youre working in isnt supportive. Today, as a mother to one and two year-old girls, Diep says shes met with the same amount of support as ever.Ive been so proud of PwC for providing me with so muchflexibilityin terms of how I work, she said, adding that shes often had the ability to work around her daughters schedules. Im able to do the quality of work I want to do, but just in a lot of different places at different hours. Thats enabled me to spend a lot of time with my children and still dedicate a lot of time to my work, as well, so thats been incredible.If you dont feel like much change or growth is happening inyourcareer, considerchecking out the openings at PwC, where women are not only advancing, theyre supported.--Fairygodboss is proud to partner with PwC. Find a job there today