Women need to help each other at workplace. Sarah Dea / The National
Women need to help each other at workplace. Sarah Dea / The National

Sisterly love can be such a powerful force for good



To borrow a little from Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that women don’t necessarily like other women.

Of course, I mustn’t generalise here, but I am sure most women can recall a few female acquaintances who made it hard for female colleagues or friends when they needed a helping hand.

Perhaps a better way to describe it, is that women don’t always like to help other women. Some feel threatened, when they should support other women. If you don’t agree with me, and I am sure there are many of you who don’t, I’d ask you to recall the last social event you went to and remember what the majority of the conversation was about. Was it made up of gossip, a bit of back stabbing, and quick judgements of others, especially of other women?

Recently I came across a book discussing this very issue, Women Hate Women – Stop B****ing, written by Dr Franziska-Maria Apprich and Dr Kathy O’Sullivan, academics at the Canadian University of Dubai. Using humour and frank discussions, it categorises women into well-worn stereotypes: the know-it-all, the competitive mother, the boyfriend-stealing one and so on.

The authors declare in their introduction that they tried to reveal some truths about womanhood and its never ending “cellulite behaviour”, described as “bumpy, ugly and stubbornly enduring”.

The most important thing to note is that being there for other women is more important now than ever, as more women fall victim to all kinds of abuse than ever before.

The latest data to come out of the United Nations concludes that one in 10 girls are raped or sexually abused worldwide, with rates higher in Sub-Saharan Africa than other regions. Women and children have always been victims of oppression and abuse but, nonetheless, the fact so many are abused should trigger more sisterly support and help for any female in our community who may be in danger or needing intervention.

There is nothing more horrible than to hear other women dismiss a rape victim and claim that “what she wore” was the main reason for the crime. This is nonsense. The culprit is the actual abuser, the man. Not providing a proper network for girls and women is also part of the problem.

I was lucky enough to have grown up in an all girls school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I say lucky because I had real sisterly love from my friends, which was in marked contrast to how my friends in mixed schools used to suffer at the hands of other girls who used to put them down in front of other people. Trust me, men know women are competitive and they take advantage of it. They enjoy the spectacle of women bickering among themselves, especially when the fight is over them.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with dedicating your time to your loved ones, like your partner and children, but isn’t it somewhat disrespectful to only call upon your girlfriends when you need something or when your partner is busy or away? It is like the women friends are just a “time filler” until the next male comes into the picture.

In my experience, you don’t see men do this. They stick together and while they do also get busy with family and responsibilities, they reconnect over a game of cards or bowling and are best friends again. It is not a coincidence that research shows that women who have lives outside their close family relationships are the happiest both inside and outside their marriages. They ooze confidence and positive energy precisely because a man doesn’t define them.

The power of sisterhood and feminine energy is not to be underestimated. It is so beautiful and so wholesome, that anyone sitting with a group of truly secure and loving women, will feel positive and energised. That cosy fuzzy feeling we talk about, yes, that one, comes alive when there is real sisterly love around us.

rghazal@thenational.ae

On Twitter: @Arabianmau

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”