By profession I am a marketer-MBA. By gender I am a female, By experience I am a mid-entry level. By caste I am Brahmin and by nationality an Indian. By marital status - married.
The above statement is a mix of all things that most employers (I have been to) have in their recruitment forms, applications etc. HR rounds comprise of psychometric tests that give them my level of peoples' skills, tolerance, aggression, ambition and leadership. So far so good.
When I come face to face with the key interviewer (let me assume I am through with all other interviewers), and all goes well until the shock he/she receives at the knowledge of my motherhood. I can only smile at those faces. The rest of the story is the same that I have been hearing since my pregnancy. Lot of reasons that envelop my absorption into the organization that ultimately becomes an abortion of a job. I agree to all that being a mother of a child of 2.2 years, managing work and life is going to be difficult and it might harm the deadlines, revenue targets and ROI (investment in me). That's my personal perception or story. You don't need to be bothered because eventually I will take care of my life the best way.
Now, a few days back I met a key person of PNB with quite a few years into the development cadre of banks. He narrated the story of his wife, a teacher, who decided to work when their son was of the age of my daughter now. She had to face the same odds not just from employers but from her own parents. This gentleman then went ahead in making a few things straight that, I quote "If a married lady sits at home for more than 5 to 8 years doing the home job than her qualification ends up at matriculation even though she might be a graduate". I took it well.
Again, just before I got married, I was working at a well paying organization and at that time I had few gentlemen tagging me as a Brahmin. I am definitely proud of what I am but pity the state of all like us due to reservations in everything for the so called scheduled castes.
I now pen the greatest of all experiences---Sales and Marketing AND Women are an integral part of a system of any kind. Companies are run by people and a female in a male concentric organization is an advantage for the employer and a less advantageous option for the lady. She needs to fight her odds through her gentlemen colleagues, her family responsibilities to make a mark that she is capable. Her employer employs her with the knowledge that she has a personality to speak, look in the eye, hard working and the greatest of all, NO ONE CAN BE RUDE TO A LADY. A lady with a pleasing personality is what every organization looks at. Her smile, her walk, her grace, her brains and her wit is never to be underestimated.
Promotional activities with good looking ladies are a hyped, time tested and crucially effective strategy. So ladies, its you to decide which side of the court you would be. Hone your passions and blow the whistle or let things be run by undermining bunch of leaders and make a mistake.
