Why Not Me? Rethinking Readiness in Early Careers
There’s a moment in nearly every ambitious woman’s early career when the question quietly surfaces: “Why not me?”
She’s shown up, spoken up, gone the extra mile. Her feedback is solid. Her manager trusts her. And yet—when stretch opportunities are handed out, her name doesn’t come up.
Readiness, it turns out, isn’t just about capability. It’s about perception. And perception is shaped by dynamics most early-career women were never taught to navigate.
“In many cases, women are already operating at the level of the role they want—but without the visibility or sponsorship that moves them forward.”
—Lean In & McKinsey, Women in the Workplace Report
The workplace doesn’t always reward output alone. It rewards what’s visible. What’s voiced. What’s endorsed by others with influence. We are conditioned in academic environments to let our work solely speak for itself, this shift can feel like stepping into an invisible game with unspoken rules.
The Readiness Gap Isn’t a Skills Gap
Studies show early-career women are equally, if not more, equipped in the core competencies of leadership: collaboration, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. But they’re often underrepresented in decision-making settings where their readiness can be recognized.
A 2023 study by Harvard Business Review found that women receive 22% less feedback tied to business outcomes than their male counterparts, limiting the very narrative needed to advocate for advancement. Not because they didn’t actually offer great output - it went unnoticed.
And the feedback they do receive? Often vague—“you’re doing great”—but lacking in the strategic guidance that catalyzes momentum.
