Networking for the next generation - Women's Agenda

Networking for the next generation

In recent months a number of friends and former colleagues have mentioned to me the steps they have taken to help their children land their first job. We’re not talking school-age part-time job at the local fast food outlet. The discussions have centred on graduate positions.

Apparently the competition out there is so fierce that parents have taken matters into their own hands rather than see their child wait up to 12 months for a position that they are suitably qualified for. According to one mother, it’s a particularly difficult experience for young men as the women they are competing with for jobs, in some industries, are often way ahead of them in written and verbal communication skills. When gender isn’t a factor it’s often the women who are being appointed.

And while many women, myself included, are passionate about assisting more women to reach leadership roles and board directorships, we don’t necessarily want this to be at the expense of young men. We’re advocating for our fair share of the pie, not the entire thing.

The recent results for year 12 school leavers around the country demonstrated just how far women have come. In NSW alone, a female student topped every mathematics subject for the first time. And while that augurs well for the next generation of female leaders in Australian companies, it also poses a problem for our sons.

A friend used her vast network of contacts to get her son an interview in the advertising industry. He still had to win the role but she helped get him to the table.

I had hoped that by the time my son was through university he would be able to present as a strong candidate for a role in an industry in which I have very few contacts. But perhaps I’m being optimistic.

Should I instead be networking on my son’s behalf to help get him a start? My friend told me that I will realise one day soon that I will have to. My son attended a school where parents were responsible for lining up work experience placement in year 10. My oldest son is a cricket tragic and at the time thought he might be interested in a career in sports administration or journalism. One of my friends and former colleagues is the sister of outgoing NSW Cricket CEO David Gilbert so I asked if my son could do his work experience there. David kindly obliged and possibly offered him more attention and a more interesting experience due to the connection. Why wouldn’t you reach out to your connections if you can?

It’s the same theory that is being applied in apparently increasing numbers to finding jobs for our children. While women are actively assisting young men to get their start, we are demanding more assistance for women at the top. It sounds like a fair trade to me.

Have you had to network to get your child a start in their chosen career? In your experience has gender been a factor?

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