Last week the Buffalo Bills made history when they hired Kathryn Smith as the new Quality Control-Special Teams Coach. Kathryn is the first full-time, female assistant coach in the National Football League.
Whether we want to admit it or not, the glass ceiling still exists, making it hard for women and minorities to access certain leadership/management roles. So with the new addition to the Bills coaching staff, it’s nice to see another step being taken in the right direction towards gender parity. It is important to realize though, that Kathryn Smith wasn’t hired for the job because of her gender. She was hired because she is qualified for the position. Bill’s head coach, Rex Ryan believes she is the right person for the job. He said that “She is really all about the team, how she can help and all that, regardless of the job we have asked her to do.” It took years of hard work and dedication to get to the job she is in today. This can be encouraging to women across all different industries to pursue their dreams, regardless of how long it may take.
Beyond professional sports, the banking, legal and STEM industries are all still dominated largely by men. While there certainly are women working in key positions in these fields, they are in the minority, especially when it comes to upper level management. The glass ceiling makes it a challenge for women to climb to the top of the corporate ladder in any industry for various reasons. Most often these include: executives looking to hire other members of the ‘old boys club,’ job segregation at the beginning of careers, women taking time to care for their families, and stereotypical gender bias.
As a women owned business, Key Resource Group feels strongly about empowering women to follow their passion and pursue their dream job regardless of what field it may be in. And we know that it can be hard to advance in an industry without likeminded mentors who are willing to guide you on your way. As Luis A. Aguilar, of the SEC said, as “more women break into leadership positions in these industries, they must make it a priority to help the women following them realize their potential and share insights to help them develop the skills and mentality they need to succeed.”
So while we’re waiting for the day that a woman takes the top job and becomes President of the United States, we’ll remain loyal Buffalo Bills fans, proud of our team for cracking that glass ceiling just a little bit more.