Should Women Pursue A Promotion Or Seek New Opportunities? Tips For Both Paths

It is a devastating time for job seekers. According to data from the Labor Department, the number of people continuing to file for unemployment benefits reached nearly a three-year high in the U.S. white-collar jobs are being hit particularly hard with one in every four American workers who lost their jobs last year working in professional and business services, according to an October S&P Global.

TikTok is full of devastating videos of people who have been unemployed for months going on interview after interview. Some do as many as eight rounds of interviews and then get rejected after putting so much time and energy to their endeavor. The pain is palpable. 

As it often is, this landscape is especially challenging for women. Besides the pay gap, studies show they are more likely to face barriers when climbing the corporate ladder. And the big question many women are grappling with in 2025 is whether to pursue a promotion within their current company or seek new opportunities elsewhere. Both paths present challenges and opportunities, and knowing how to navigate them is crucial to advancing in today’s competitive job market.

A recent study by Kickresume, which analyzed the employment data of 1,250 random U.S. LinkedIn profiles, reveals that while men are slightly more likely to have changed companies over the past five years (47.2% vs. 46.3%), women have a slightly higher rate of promotion during the same period. Specifically, 19.9% of women were promoted, compared to 19% of men, and 12.3% of women received a promotion into their current role, just narrowly surpassing the 11.8% of men.

So, which path should you pursue? Stay at your current company and try to make inroads for a promotion or start fresh and at a higher level at a different company? It does depend on your situation but here are some tips for both journeys.

Ensure Clear Communication with Your Boss: One of the most effective ways to position yourself for a promotion is to regularly check in with your supervisor about your performance and career goals. Have a candid conversation about what is expected for you to move up and how you can contribute to the company’s success.

Take on High-Visibility Projects: Volunteering for challenging, high-visibility assignments can help increase your presence in the organization and demonstrate your leadership potential. If you’re leading teams or managing key initiatives, it signals your readiness for more responsibility.

Enhance Your Skills: As the job market becomes more competitive, continuously upgrading your skills is key. Consider earning certifications, attending relevant workshops, or pursuing advanced education. 

Perfect Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your achievements and quantifiable results rather than just listing job duties. There are so many helpful tutorials on social media to help you update your resume (and you may want to consider using AI as you know the companies perusing your resume are using it.) 

Use Job Boards Beyond LinkedIn: While LinkedIn is popular it can lead to a lot of cattle calls and dead ends, while other job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and AngelList can offer more targeted opportunities. These platforms allow you to filter jobs by salary, location, and benefits, and may offer a broader range of positions, especially in niche industries. 

Crush the Interview: Be ready to discuss how you can contribute results and solutions, and confidently highlight your achievements to overcome biases.

Research Potential Employers: Choose employers who promote women in leadership to ensure long-term career satisfaction.

This article originally appeared on Your Coffee Break.