It is no secret that the world of marketing is one that is dominated by talented females, yet looking around the boardrooms of most organisations, you would be forgiven for thinking that women were outnumbered two to one – or even more – by men company-wide. So why is it that the glass ceiling is so prominent in this discipline? And how should ambitious women working within marketing and communications best further their careers?

VMA GROUP recently hosted a think tank in conjunction with Nicola Green, director of communications & reputation at O2, to address the representation of women in senior roles. This event was attended by high-profile female directors from organisations including Lloyds Banking Group, Deloitte, EY, Siemens and the NSPCC, who joined together to discuss the drawbacks for women in this sector and what organisations should be doing to pave the way for the female leaders of tomorrow.

One prominent theme that arose was that women can often be much more reluctant than men to put themselves forward for the top positions. VMA GROUP's latest edition of their Business Leaders in Communications study even revealed that 62% of senior professionals are men, jumping to a colossal 81% in organisations with a turnover of £15bn+. It is a proven fact that women’s upbringings can dramatically impact their lifelong self-esteem and confidence – a trait which most men do not have to overcome. Because of this, women may overlook their own natural talents and focus on the negatives – or what they can’t do, rather than what they can. In most cases, men are far more willing to self-promote – their mindset seems to be relatively unphased by the challenges of a new role if they believe they will be a good fit. But it’s important to make the differentiation that women in marketing do not lack courage; their ideas are innovative, they are consistent contributors to projects and they are usually strong assets to the team. But it is not courage that lands you in the boardroom – it is confidence.

Rather than seeing the worth in their work and contribution, they must see their own self-worth and use that as a tool to propel their career further.

Mentoring was discussed as an effective way of internal career support within an organisation. Contrary to what many people believe, a mentor does not always have to be another woman, but just someone who can provide support and advice, and act as an advocate. In many cases, it can work spectacularly well to utilise males in mentoring schemes, as this can further ebb away at u