Working your way up the career ladder isn’t always easy or fast. Unfortunately for women, it can be that much more difficult to achieve. Statistics show that of the executive and senior-level positions that are held in the U.S., only 25% of them are held by women. Even bleaker is the fact that only 6% of CEOs are women.

When you look at numbers such as these it’s hard not to feel deflated, but all it means is that as a woman you need to make sure you are prepared and are able to offer the kind of skills that these positions demand. So, if you’re looking for a way to advance in your career and you’re not sure where to begin, here are some tips that can prove to be very helpful.

Make Sure You Have the Education Requirements

One of the best ways to ensure you’re able to work your way up the career ladder is to ensure you have the educational requirements the job entails. Even if you already have a degree or diploma, if it’s not the right type then it’s really not going to help you.

Norwich University offers the perfect solution to your educational needs and that is their masters in executive leadership online program. With the executive leadership masters online, you will learn to lead, no matter what the organizational lines are. You’ll be able to embrace complex changes and initiatives and lead staff through them, understand the strategic and technology requirements needed by a leader and understand how to analyze data and information effectively.

This degree is meant to prepare you for such job positions as a chief operating officer, a board of trustees member, a president, or executive vice president of a company.

Make Sure You Speak Up

It’s also important that you make sure you speak up in meetings, conferences, and presentations. It can be intimidating when you are the only female at the table, but that is all the more reason to speak up and have your ideas heard. This will obviously take a certain level of confidence, so it may be something you have to spend time working on. Typically, the surer you are of your thoughts and ideas, the more confident you will come across.

Set Goals for Yourself and Pursue Them

It’s hard to work your way up the ladder if you aren’t really sure what you’re working towards. Instead, pick a position that is your dream job, learn what is required to have that kind of job, and then start working towards it. You can lay it out like a plan that you follow, ticking off the boxes as you achieve each level of the plan.

Be Your Own Cheerleader

Going for your career dreams can be a lonely and often intimidating role. This is why it’s so important you are kind to yourself and act as your own cheerleader. You are bound to make missteps along the way, but it’s important you find the confidence to continue on and learn from those mistakes.