When attending the 1st Women Leadership Conference at St. Joseph's University the Panelists highlighted two things that stuck with me:
Make sure you...
1. have a "Sponsor" not just a Mentor
2. understand Financial Metrics
Item #1 is important because the Sponsor is not just helping you, advising you in a 1:1 situation, they have your growth in mind and position you well, 'sponsor' you even when you are not in the room. They do it strategically so that you are well positioned to advance.
Item #2 is one area that males get Mentored on in the workplace and females don't. The thought was that often Mentors focus on other things with women, like how to 'command the room' and other things that they see lacking in women (because they are not 'men' - but we'll save that for later).
Whether you are returning to the workforce in a non-finance role, like Marketing, Engineering or Tech, skillUP in Finance so you get the broader picture within the business you are contributing to. Being able to state how your decision, input or work impacts the balance sheet is wise not only for the productivity of your role but for your future potential!
I like the clarity and brevity (2 minute lessons!) in this presentation on "Cash Flow" by Chase.