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“The world has changed pretty dramatically over the past 40 years.” I nod in response, staring into the 13-inch laptop screen that’s perched atop some stacked cookbooks on my kitchen counter. As her words sink in, I think about the change we’ve seen in the past year alone. Since the start of the pandemic, nothing about the working world feels the same. Except, as Barbara is quick to point out, the need for human connection and support.
Barbara Novick, a BlackRock founder and senior advisor, believes that having the right support system is the not-so-secret ingredient for a long, successful career. It’s a theory she’s cultivated over decades of personal experiences and the experiences of her mentees.
“When I started working, there were zero women in senior positions at any of the financial firms,” she tells me. “That was true of a lot of fields. Today, when you look across industries, women have broken through.” Images of Kamala Harris, Janet Yellen, Jane Fraser, Roz Brewer, Thasunda Brown Duckett, and others carousel through my mind.
At the same time, though, headlines swirl around the negative impact that working from home has had on women. In fact, McKinsey research found that 1 in 4 women plan to leave the workforce because of the pandemic.
These highs and lows are difficult to reconcile.
Barbara raises another nuance. “Gone are the glory days of being a pioneer,” she tells me, underscoring the importance of representation. “Anyone starting a career today, or changing jobs mid-career, is going to look at their prospective company and say, ‘Is there anyone here who looks and thinks and acts and feels like me?’ It’s about all dimensions of a person’s identity.”
“For companies, it’s both a challenge and an opportunity,” she continues. “Social distancing has made it harder to focus on career development and network building, while society demands more serious attention be paid to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion. Going forward, companies that get this right will attract and retain the best talent.” And that’s when we get to the meat of it: the importance of mentorship in a post-pandemic world.
“Investing in yourself is critical. At home, maybe that means getting support from a partner, family member, or friend. Or perhaps it looks like hiring outside help, if you have the means. At work, it’s no different. You need a support system. That’s what mentors are designed to be, and ideally, they turn into sponsors, given time and opportunity.”
By this point in the interview, Barbara’s in full coaching mode. She’s getting tactical, sharing stories and experiences on both sides of the mentorship coin – lessons learned (sometimes the hard way) and passed on to others. After the call, in parsing back through my notes, I realize I have a veritable treasure trove: a list of do’s and don’ts for successful mentorship:
“You’re not doing anyone any favors by letting them repeat the same mistake. It’s hard to do, but mentors should give more honest feedback. If you’re going to have an open relationship, you must be willing to give both the good and the bad. And, in my experience, mentees are appreciative in the end. I’ve had people send me notes years later in their career saying that, while they didn’t necessarily like it in the moment, the honest feedback made them better and ultimately advanced their career. As a mentor, that’s the optimal outcome.”
“You have to come to me with a business challenge you’re trying to solve, or an area of your career you’re trying to develop – something,” says Barbara. “I don’t want to have a frivolous coffee chat; but I do want to engage you in a substantive conversation. You can take my input or not, but the process leads somewhere. All that natural mentoring grows into having a relationship.”
“I once took a chance on a woman with a non-traditional background who, in short order, proved to everyone that she was a superstar. She worked for me for years. Then one day she came to me and said she was ready to try something different. Of course, I was sad to see her move – I enjoyed working with her. But I recognized she was right. She was at the point where she needed a new challenge. And that meant she needed me to take on a new role in our relationship. She needed me to go from being her boss and mentor, to being her sponsor, and I was happy to see her find that next opportunity. If you want to build long-lasting relationships, you have to let them evolve with time.”
“I tell the people I work with that they can tell me anything they want. They can tell me when something is going wrong or an idea is bad. But they have to come to the table with alternatives. Saying ‘I have a problem,’ and then leaving doesn’t cut it. But coming in, having a discussion and then working through it together – that’s a collaborative process. That’s the kind of mentorship that people want to have in their work lives.”
“It only gets harder with time. As your network expands and your list of mentors and mentees grows, those you interact with on a regular basis diminish. And then there’s the pandemic, which has made it harder to carve out time for regular catch ups, throwing a lot of relationships through a loop.
As the pandemic subsides in different parts of the world, though, we all need to find ways to reconnect. Now might be the perfect time to take a proactive approach to mentoring and networking more broadly.
Ultimately, it comes down to three things: time management, prioritization and keeping an open mind. If you can manage those things, your relationships will thrive in any environment.”
Explore Akash's inspiring ascent from intern to technologist at BlackRock.
Learn about this entrepreneur's BlackRock career journey from Program Analyst to Associate.
Spoiler alert! It was a great success.
Learn how Simone White, a BlackRock Administrative Professional, is working to evolve the preconception of APs at the firm and everywhere.
Explore Akash's inspiring ascent from intern to technologist at BlackRock.
Learn about this entrepreneur's BlackRock career journey from Program Analyst to Associate.
Spoiler alert! It was a great success.
Learn how Simone White, a BlackRock Administrative Professional, is working to evolve the preconception of APs at the firm and everywhere.
Sulagna Sen has always been passionate about coding—so it was only natural for her to pursue a degree in information technology. As a college student, she completed two internships focused on front-end development before being recruited by BlackRock’s Gurgaon office as an intern right out of school. And she’s been at the global investment firm ever since.
Today, Sen is a software developer in the Mumbai office, where she has a unique opportunity to work with the vast amount of data that BlackRock manages. “I learn every day here. I continue to take up new challenges and enhance my skills and grow personally,” says Sen, who is now part of the Production Operations team that makes sure BlackRock’s core systems are running smoothly.
We asked Sen why she opted for a non-traditional tech path, what skills a developer needs to succeed, and how women can break into male-dominated fields.
The best thing about tech is it is never stagnant. New innovation and ideas are always around the corner. There is a lot to explore in this broad spectrum. Problem solving and algorithms have always fascinated me and BlackRock encourages us to challenge the status quo.
Despite being a comparatively young organization, BlackRock has managed to become the world’s leading global investor in the span of merely 30 years. I chose BlackRock over a traditional tech company because of the vastness of data being managed and the fact that it provides its own application suite to clients in the form of Aladdin. Plus, BlackRock delivers stability and resilience.
My responsibilities are very broad since the Production Operations team manages the day-to-day operations of core systems and focuses on ensuring a fully stable, scalable, and cost-efficient infrastructure across all the systems supported by the Aladdin Product Group. I am also a part of the development and automation function, which drives operational efficiency by designing and developing administrative tools that facilitate configuration management for all Aladdin clients.
Currently, I am working on the automation of an in-house application that is used by core business teams. It involves technologies like Java and Angular. We ensure even trivial matters are addressed and deliver an end-to-end solution.
What I find most exciting at work is the cooperation and collaboration of my colleagues.
I have always followed my passion and did not let stereotypes affect me. BlackRock’s culture of diversity and inclusion has also played a major role. I have always felt included in the achievements of my team, and have been equally responsible for roadblocks, for that matter. I ensure I deliver my best and never consider myself less competent than my male counterparts.
All ideas count! Make yourself heard among your peers. Innovation and a focus-driven approach are highly celebrated at BlackRock. The tech stack here is vast, and one can explore one’s skills and work on their long-term goals.
An inquisitive mind and good problem-solving skills are all you need.
The Mumbai office is relatively new. The culture here is very friendly and motivating. I get a true sense of the One BlackRock principle among my colleagues here. The environment is inclusive and as far as I know, around 30% of the employees in the Mumbai office are female, which is a good proportion compared to many other offices.
Look at the broader picture, beyond gender disparities and social myths. Software is an evolving industry, and there are many female leaders emerging. Focus on being proactive and confident in your work. Network with other women in the field, understand the industry, and choose your employer wisely!
Do not feel intimidated by external factors, and instead focus on your willingness to grow. Sheer talent and hard work are what can get you through everything and help you break all norms and stereotypes. Make sure to seize every opportunity that resonates with you.
My advice would be to let your passion drive you.
This article was originally published on The Muse.
Explore Akash's inspiring ascent from intern to technologist at BlackRock.
Learn about this entrepreneur's BlackRock career journey from Program Analyst to Associate.
Spoiler alert! It was a great success.
Learn how Simone White, a BlackRock Administrative Professional, is working to evolve the preconception of APs at the firm and everywhere.
Explore Akash's inspiring ascent from intern to technologist at BlackRock.
Learn about this entrepreneur's BlackRock career journey from Program Analyst to Associate.
Spoiler alert! It was a great success.
Learn how Simone White, a BlackRock Administrative Professional, is working to evolve the preconception of APs at the firm and everywhere.
BlackRock is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer in compliance with the U.S. federal contractor program. We are committed to equal employment opportunity to all applicants and existing employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity/expression), sexual orientation, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, political affiliation, religion, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. View the EEOC’s Know Your Rights poster and its supplement and the pay transparency statement.
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