Breaking the glass ceiling: why women in finance are on the rise

In an industry traditionally dominated by men, women are now on the rise. We’re seeing more women in finance, and First Financial is a proud supporter of growing the careers of young mums and other women.

Spoiler alert: You won’t have to choose between being a good mum and working in finance. Here, you can do both.

The finance industry has traditionally been a male-dominated field. However this trend is gradually changing as more and more women are entering the industry and also other traditionally male-dominated industries like engineering and business management.

As we’re slowly emerging from the dark ages in gender-specific career and life expectations (you know, the stereotypical – you’re a woman, so you’re more nurturing… and if you have kids, well then, a demanding career is not for you), we’re seeing more women entering the finance industry.

And we’re here for it.

In fact, since First Financial opened its doors 10 years ago, we’ve been actively recruiting and supporting finance careers for women, including mums.

Firstly, a career in finance offers excellent opportunities for professional growth and development. The finance industry constantly evolves and offers opportunities to work with cutting-edge technologies and systems.

Dynamic and multitasking women can expect to work in a fast-paced, agile environment where they can continuously learn and grow.

Secondly, the finance industry offers excellent earning potential. Based on your eagerness to excel, you’ll be well-compensated for your work, with salaries that are often much higher than those in other industries.

Thirdly, women often have higher levels of empathy and nurturing abilities, which translate particularly well to their personalised approach when giving financial advice to clients.

One of the biggest challenges for women in finance is balancing work and family responsibilities, particularly if they have young children.

Another challenge is the gender bias that unfortunately still exists in the industry. Despite the progress of recent years, women in finance are still underrepresented in senior positions and may face discrimination or bias in the workplace.

At First Financial, we offer everyone on our team equal opportunities to excel in their careers, and we allow mums (and dads!) to care for their families first, no matter what.

It’s easy for an employer to say these things, so don’t take our word for it. Adela Ngai, an Advisor at First Financial and mother of two, explains why she feels supported in her finance career.

Adela is a trained analyst and her specialist skills are equities and portfolio construction.

“I have always had an interest in the dynamics of the capital market. I enjoy meeting clients, getting to know them and finding pieces of their puzzle to put together a financial plan for them. I find both the market and people aspects of this industry all very exciting. Every client is different in their own unique ways and there is never a dull moment.”

She remembers a time when she felt particularly empowered to achieve her career goals while balancing family responsibilities:

“I remember those early days when I was still navigating through motherhood with my first child and he was constantly sick from daycare. He had a fever for days and I couldn’t send him to daycare, so I had to take time off work. I apologised profusely to my manager for my absence and said I would take the days off as annual leave as I understood the domino effect on the workflow of other people in my team. My manager at that time interrupted my frantic apology and said family should always come first and that I should take the time off as carers’ leave instead of annual leave, since I wasn’t ‘exactly sunbaking on a beach’.”

“The hybrid working arrangement really is a game changer for us working mums. The commute between home and the office can easily take up an hour and a half of your day. Now I can finish work at 5pm and pick up my toddler at a reasonable hour. It is much more manageable in terms of logistics. Without the hybrid arrangement, I simply wouldn’t be able to come back to work so soon with my second child.”

Adela’s advice to family-orientated women who want to follow a career in finance is simple: find an employer who values you as an employee and acknowledges that flexibility is needed in your child-bearing years.

“A good employer wouldn’t want you to sacrifice your family life. Have the confidence to say ‘Sorry, it doesn’t work for my situation.’ But of course, do not abuse their kindness!”

At First Financial, we prioritise the wellbeing of our employees. We offer flexible working arrangements, real career development opportunities and a supportive environment.

Read more about a financial career at First Financial. And read more here about our current vacancy for a client services manager.