The Glass Hammer
The Glass Hammer is an online community designed for women executives in financial services, law and business. Visit us daily to discover issues that matter, share experiences, and plan networking, your career and your life. Get a new job right here!
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The White House Project’s Go Run New York Kicks Off Friday
By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City) The White House Project is still accepting applications for this weekend’s New York event. For more information contact Janeen Ettienne at jettienne@thewhitehouseproject.org. “Women take charge to take care. Meaning, women usually embark on a campaign because of an issue that they have organized around either personally or in their communities,” said Marie Wilson, founder of the White House Project. She continued, “And when elected, they are... |
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Ask-A-Career-Coach: Integrating Personal and Professional Goals
Contributed by Caroline Ceniza-Levine of SixFigureStart™ I recently led a workshop on Resilience for HR executives at a financial services firm that had recently undergone a major restructuring. One VP asked: “How do you allocate time between your personal and professional goals?” It’s a fitting question for that particular firm because many of the attendees were juggling several jobs and new roles. There was uncertainty, anxiety, and overall fatigue. Yet, the question is fitting... |
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Voice of Experience: Elisse B. Walter, Commissioner, Securities and Exchange Commission
Image Courtesy sec.govBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City) “We are still at a juncture in time where it’s very important for senior women to be a resource both for other women and men,” said Elisse B. Walter, Commissioner for the Securities and Exchange Commission. In describing her life and career, it’s clear that Commissioner Walter cherishes her position as a role model and a leader. She enthusiastically articulates the importance of guiding other women coming up the ranks. And... |
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Happy Memorial Day
By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City) In honor of Memorial Day, The Glass Hammer is taking the day off – and hopefully, you are too! If you have some time to spare today, why not catch up on a few of our recent popular stories? Voice of Experience: Anne Weisberg, Director, Talent, Deloitte Three Reasons the Technology Field is Great for Women Hit the Hardest by the Recession, Female Baby Boomers Make Transitions Why We’re Not There Yet: Changing the Leadership System And, don’t forget... |
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Hit the Hardest by the Recession, Female Baby Boomers Make Transitions
By Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles) Many have been hit hard by the recession, but according to the United States Department of Labor, perhaps no one more so than women of the baby-boom generation. According to the Department of Labor, the number of women ages 45 to 64 who are long-term unemployed (out of work for more than six months) has more than doubled in the past year and at 900,000, that number is steadily growing. Hundreds of thousands of working women have been put in an impossible situation:... |
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Why We’re Not There Yet: Changing the Leadership System
By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City) On paper, began Linda Basch, President of the National Council for Research on Women, the numbers look good. Women earn 57% of Bachelor’s degrees, and a larger percentage of Master’s degrees. One third of business owners are women – the fastest growing group of business owners, in fact. Women control half of the wealth in the US, and 65% of consumer spending. Yet, said Basch, “The glass ceiling remains virtually shatterproof. We’ve reached... |
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Women in Technology: Staying Technical and the Importance of Being an Expert
By Nicki Gilmour, Founder and CEO of theglasshammer.com This is the second article in this series, investigating why staying technical is important on the path to promotion – either as an executive or an eventual board member. Don’t forget to register for our upcoming panel discussion and networking event for women in technology on July 8th at 5.30pm. According to the Anita Borg Institute report Senior Technical Women: A Profile of Success [PDF] by Dr. Caroline Simard, the numbers... |
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How You Can Overcome the Top Barriers Keeping Women from Advancing
Contributed by Jane C. Woods, a personal development specialist When I was employed in a management role, I coached and mentored many young women coming through my organisation. I’m now a professional coach working with senior and executive women. The questions and issues have not changed significantly over the years, although of course, everyone is unique and bring their own unique set of circumstances to bear. A 2004 Catalyst survey found that the top two barriers that hold women back from... |
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Just Don’t Call Them Gender Targets: The Need to Move Diversity Hiring into the Open
By Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles) Finding a U.S.-based company willing to go on the record and discuss their efforts to recruit, hire, and advance women is an easy task – if the phrase “diversity effort” is used. Getting the same company to discuss “gender targets” is impossible; they have no such practice in place. Or so they say. Gender targets – or gender quotas – have been getting a lot of buzz lately and it’s a topic that gets impassioned responses from women on both... |
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How to Manage Your Maternity in the Workplace: Taking Control of Your Career Before and After Maternity Leave
Contributed by Chris Parke, MD of Talking Talent, an expert on workplace maternity issues. We often hear about women struggling to maintain the momentum of their careers through parenthood. The transition through maternity and the return to work can be fraught with anxieties and a feeling of not being in control. A successful maternity or adoption transition means working alongside your stakeholders as well as having an individual strategy to keep your career momentum going. Laying the groundwork There... |
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In Case You Missed It: Business News Round-Up
Contributed by Beth Collinge of CTG – a division of ILX Group plc. After hitting a 4-year low against the US dollar last week, the Euro rallied to above $1.26 on Friday. Equities also sold off across the board, while US and German government bonds enjoyed strong gains. Santander is in talks about merging its US operations with M&T Bank. The US Senate approved a sweeping overhaul of financial regulation. Economic Backdrop A dramatic deterioration in investor confidence triggered across-the-board... |
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Voice of Experience: Simela Karasavidis, Partner, White and Case
By Elizabeth Harrin (London) “Since I was twelve I wanted to live and work abroad,” said Simela Karasavidis in a softly-spoken Australian accent. Karasavidis, a Partner in the Energy, Infrastructure and Project Finance Practice at global law firm White & Case LLP, holds two Bachelor degrees in law and economics, as well as a Masters of Laws. She studied and did her articles in Melbourne but always wanted to live and work overseas. “Melbourne was too small, but I didn’t realise how... |
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Telling Amy’s Story: A Call to Action
NewseumBy Elisabeth Grant (Washington, D.C.) On November 8, 2001, Amy Homan McGee, Verizon Wireless employee and mother of two, was shot and killed by her husband Vincent McGee in their home in Pennsylvania. Vincent McGee was convicted of the murder and is now serving a life sentence in prison. This was not an isolated moment of violence, but rather the last event after years of abuse. While McGee’s story is shocking and sad, what is more disturbing is that her life, and death, are like... |