Closing the Gap

Women's Career Society Teams Up with Top Companies to Empower Women in Specialist and Leadership Roles. Women's Career Society provides a platform for business-minded students from both Aalto and Hanken to come together, network, and build valuable relationships, all while promoting a culture of support and ambition.

Founded in 2019, Women's Career Society is a student association that brings together business-minded students from both Aalto University and Hanken School of Economics to create a community built on support and ambition. The organization's primary mission is to address the gender gap in specialist and leadership positions by providing inspiring content and events that help young women identify and pursue their career goals. Partnering with industry powerhouses such as Boston Consulting Group, EY, NREP, and Evli,

“Our Main Partner pool is fantastic. We have continued with the same partners for a few years now and having that long-lasting, high-trust relationship with them allows us to create great quality in both content and events”, says Janita Suojanen, President of Women's Career Society.

At WCS it is believed that strong networks build confidence, boost individual strengths, and enable people to motivate each other. That's why the organization aims to unite talented students regardless of major subject or

If you're curious about the inspirational content that Women's Career Society has to offer, you can find a taste of the action on their Instagram page WCS's social media platforms present different career possibilities, share inspirational events, and lift up role models.

One of the most exciting content reforms in 2023 is People Profiles on the WCS blog, which promises to be a must-read for anyone interested in inspirational careers.

"And it gets even harder if you never see anyone like you doing that thing that could be your thing. That's why we at WCS are committed to giving women options, knowledge, and mentors so they can have all the keys they need to create their dream career "

Janita Suojanen

“These personal interviews make an engaging read and offer valuable advice from accomplished professionals on how to thrive in your chosen career path. Whether you're just starting out or looking to advance your career, the insights shared in these profiles are a valuable resource to help you navigate your journey”, Vilma Paksuniemi, Head of Communications at WCS points out.

Inspiring and motivating the next generation of women leaders

In 2022 the emphasis of WCS was on broadening the focus group by expanding the activities of the society to Science and Technology students at Aalto. In addition, WCS offered several events under theoffered themes such as career in sustainability, what private equity and venture capital investing really is, and how to build a sustainable career in consulting.

This year the focus will be more on leadership with a side of social sustainability. These themes will be seen on all the activities from events to content creation to inspire and motivate the next generation of leaders For example, Women's Career Society will relaunch their podcast to explore these themes in depth with special guests, so keep an eye out for it on Spotify later this spring.

In addition to offering inspiring content, WCS also organizes various events, including panel discussions and afterwork gatherings. They run workshops on career guidance, including interview and CV preparations, visit high schools to offer inspiration to the young ones, and offer a rare and valuablerare opportunity to dig deep into the minds of well-established professionals through an annual mentoring program.

"The mentoring program is an absolute diamond, and we are extremely pleased to be able to offer this chance of learninging and growth to students," Suojanen says.

Don’t just talk about what you’re going to do, be about it

According to Suojanen, one of the greatest impacts WCS has had is creating a safe, encouraging, and inspiring atmosphere where students, regardless of their background, can come to grow, plan their career, and create inspirational relationships.

"People are there with open minds and similar goals," Suojanen says

"At my very first WCS event, before I was part of the board, I arrived alone and got to know two other girls by the time I had hung my coat!"

"To me, my mentor relationship has been an absolute game changer. Receiving advice from and being asked insightful questions by an experienced leader and a rock-solid professional were very important at this stage of my career. I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone."

In addition to providing a supportive community, this year WCS focuses on promoting sustainable leadership.

"Great leaders work collaboratively for change and transformation to create a better future for the people at their ' or organization as well as people in general. Being a leader is not about being in charge, it's about taking are of those in our charge”, Suojanen points out. The President of WCS 2023 believes that a big part of making positive change is having the right mindset.

"I strongly dislike the phrase 'it's not possible Pretty much everything is possible, everything is “figureoutable”, if you want it enough. But you must master your mind and have great confidence in yourself in order to do great things. As Beyoncé once said, don’t just talk about what you’re going to do, be about it, be about that action”, she continues.

Looking forward, WCS has exciting plans for the future, including a brand renewal, new events, and reaching a larger and more diverse audience than ever before.

"My goal this year is to create a lot of truly valuable opportunities for women students together with our talented bo- ard," Suojanen says.

"WCS is a place where you can be yourself, grow, and create your career alongside other inspiring women We are here.