How To Get Into It Field

Privilege is defined as "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group." The key word here is "granted." Privilegecan be shared. But it can only be shared by someone who already has it. Privilege cannot be willed into existence by someone who lacks it. If you are in a position of privilege, here's how to level the playing field:

Broker introductions. To you, a friend is exactly that: a friend. To someone else, that same person could be the key to a job, promotion, or opportunity
Be a mentor (or sponsor). If you are in a position to influence project assignment or promotion decisions, make sure that the good people — and not just the visible people — are considered, recognized, and rewarded.
Ensure that everyone can participate equally in conversations. If you find yourself talking a lot and someone else not saying anything at all, consider introducing a topic that everyone can contribute to
Help others be seen and heard. If you hear a good idea from someone who does not typically speak up, or witness good work from someone who is not typically visible, be doubly sure that others hear it, know about it, and give credit where credit is due.
Rotate the non-glamorous work. To prevent non-promotable tasks from disproportionately falling upon women or people of color, consider taking turns so that the load is shared.

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Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here.

Think about your average day at work. How many of the following questions can you answer with "yes"?

1) Did you know someone at your organization (especially high up) on your first day?

2) Do you feel welcome at work without changing how you naturally speak or look?

3) Does speaking up — and being heard and getting credit for your ideas— come effortlessly to you?

Now, try answering these questions again, but from the perspective of a coworker who is having an easier time at work than you, or more challenging time at work than you. Compared to your answers, how many more or fewer times might they be able to answer "yes"?

Though an imperfect proxy, the number of times you can answer "yes" compared to your coworker says a lot about who has relatively more privilege at work.

Yes, privilege.

What does it mean to have privilege?

The word "privilege" may appear antagonistic, but the dictionary definition is actually more subtle. It's "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group."

Having privilege doesn't mean you're a bad person. It just means that the playing field is tilted in your favor.

Take the case of the three questions above.

1) Someone who answers "yes" to question #1 is a new hire who already knows someone high up in their organization. This person has an advantage over other new employees because they know someone who can introduce them to important decision makers, navigate the workplace culture, and give them tips around how to succeed.

Anyone who has this kind of "guardian angel" has more access to opportunities for growth, whereas others may not even know those opportunities exist.

2) Someone who answers "yes" to question #2 is an employee who has the ability to show up at work without feeling compelled to change how they authentically speak or look. This person is able to spend more of their time and mental energy thinking about their work as opposed to how they might be coming across to their colleagues.

They feel no need to defy stereotypes about their race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexual orientation, dis/ability, religion, age, class, nationality, physical appearance, accent, vocal pitch, language proficiency, degree of introversion or extroversion, cultural customs, educational background, or upbringing.

They feel no need to "fit in" or prove themselves over and over again. As a result, they have an advantage. Their only job is to do their job. They aren't burdened with the extra work of performing for the majority demographic.

3) Someone who answers "yes" to question #3 finds it effortless to speak up, be heard, and be remembered. Now, imagine contributing to every bit of small talk without running out of things to say. Imagine speaking your mind without the burden of imposter syndrome. Imagine people seeing you, hearing you, and respecting you just because you are you.

The first two privileges only enhance this third one. If you inherently "fit in," then this is probably your reality. To you, the workplace feels inclusive (not isolating), work events are fun (not a chore), meetings are easy (not a struggle), and being recognized is normal (not a constant fight).

Sure, skill and effort are factors. The more effective you are at networking, public speaking, and navigating the unspoken rules of the workplace, the more successful you will be at building allies and getting heard.

But that doesn't change the fact that the playing field isn't level. Small advantages early on can build and build and build, making it increasingly challenging for someone without this running start to catch up. Think of it this way:

For whom is it easiest to inherit friends in high places? Someone who grew up rubbing shoulders with the insiders, whether through a prior (elite) job, (elite) school, or (elite) social group.
For whom is it easiest to be one's authentic self at work? Someone who looks like, talks like, and/or has the same backgrounds, interests, and/or identities as their coworkers.
For whom is it easiest to speak up? Someone who is confident.
For whom is confidence the easiest to come by? Someone who is an insider — especially the one with friends in high places.
For whom is it easiest to be heard and be credited for their ideas? Someone who "fits in" with the majority.

My point is: privilege compounds.

How can you level the playing field?

Recall that privilege is defined as "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group." The key word here is "granted." Privilege can be shared. But it can only be shared by someone who already has it. Privilege cannot be willed into existence by someone who lacks it.

That's why it's so important for those who are in a position of privilege to a) recognize their position and b) use their position for good.

If this is you, what can you do to level the playing field? Here are five ways to start:

Broker introductions.

To you, a friend is exactly that: a friend. To someone else, that same person could be the key to a job, promotion, or opportunity. A quick, "I'd love to introduce you to ______ given that you're both interested in ______" can often be all it takes to help someone build their network and unlock opportunities for themselves. And if you are in a position to influence how onboarding is done, consider offering every new hire a buddy to help them acclimate to their new environment.

Be a mentor (or sponsor).

No matter how inexperienced you may be, there is always someone even more inexperienced (or who feels that way). An equally quick, "I'd love to learn more about what you're working on" is often all you need to turn silence into dialogue. And if you are in a position to influence project assignment or promotion decisions, make sure that the good people — and not just the visible people — are considered, recognized, and rewarded.

One way is to navigate this situation is to ask, "How did we come up with this list?" when you are in a meeting where candidates are being considered for a certain opportunity. If you hear an awkward silence followed by, "Uhh … because they came to mind first," see if there may be someone else who isn't as loud or popular who may be just as, if not more, qualified. Their name might be unjustly missing from the table because they don't look like, talk like, or think like everyone else in the group — but are no less competent and committed.

Ensure that everyone can participate equally in conversations.

Small talk that's enjoyable to you could be exclusionary to someone else. If you find yourself talking a lot and someone else not saying anything at all, consider introducing a topic that everyone can contribute to.

Conversations about your alma mater or favorite sports team can be fun if everyone went to the same school or follows the same sports, but they can also be anxiety-provoking for those who can't relate. If you find yourself speaking more frequently than others, consider pausing to give others room to contribute. While you're at it, try speaking in plain English over dropping lingo or inside jokes that only a few will understand.

Help others be seen and heard.

It can be easy for a group to assume that if someone speaks a lot, every idea they talk about is their own. Misattributing good ideas not only further perpetuates privilege, but also discourages those who are less comfortable raising their voices from speaking up. If you hear a good idea or see good work, amplify it so that people hear it and know about it.

If you hear a good idea from someone who does not typically speak up, or witness good work from someone who is not typically visible, be doubly sure that others hear it, know about it, and give credit where credit is due. And if others' gaze naturally falls back to you, consider sharing the spotlight, whether by allowing someone less visible to send out that email, sit near the front of that conference table, deliver that presentation, and/or answer that question.

Rotate the non-glamorous.

It's hard to be visible when you are stuck doing "office housework" — taking notes, planning events, or completing other tasks that aren't core to your job. While every employee has to do housework from time-to-time to prove that they can take on more serious responsibilities, there is a difference between assigning it as a short-term stepping stone and assigning it to the same groups time and again. That is when this kind of "housework" turns into a long-term shackle. Unfortunately, women are 29% more likely than men to report doing this these kind of chores.

To prevent non-promotable tasks from disproportionately falling upon women or people of color who tend to be "voluntold" more for office housework — and penalized more when they say "no" — consider taking turns so that the load is shared. The next time your boss asks your colleague to take notes during the team meeting or call in the lunch order, consider doing your part.

In the end, leveling the playing field isn't just about doing good. It's also about doing well — by building a higher-performing team. It's hard to imagine how any organization can reach its full potential without including everyone and rewarding the best work. If you've ever found your employer saying that your workplace's most valuable resource is its people, then contributing to a more level playing field can be a great way to invest in that resource.