Girl Boss, Meet Girlboss
Published on December 7, 2019, at 12:50 p.m.
by Zoie Mestayer.
As we progress further into the digital age, it is clear that the days of finding your next job, employee or collaborator through the classified section are swiftly coming to an end. According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of adults in the United States have taken their job search online. The introduction of LinkedIn to the professional space has changed the way people conduct business online. The social networking website aimed at professionals allows users to search and connect with both industry leaders and newbies at the click of a mouse. The platform is an invaluable tool for the employed and the aspiring employees alike.
But the professional networking powerhouse has a new competitor in the female-focused platform Girlboss. The website was launched this year by Sophia Amoruso, founder of the popular online clothing store, Nasty Gal. The website, alongside a newsletter and a podcast, is a part of Amoruso’s larger media brand, Girlboss Media. The platform aims to equip women with the tools to pursue their goals and encourage them to help other women along the way. In short, it focuses on empowerment first and business second, a welcome addition to the hyper-competitive nature of today’s job market; in the days following its launch, more than 54,000 people had joined the platform’s waitlist.
According to Amoruso, Girlboss is a place where women “can share not just what they do but who they are, in a world where we’re on LinkedIn Monday through Friday and Instagram Saturday and Sunday.” By targeting freelancers, entrepreneurs and other professionals, Girlboss empowers women to make meaningful connections that could evolve into business relationships.
In accordance with this mission, users are encouraged to network with authenticity. Profiles are streamlined to showcase users’ personalities as well as their achievements and career goals. The signup process includes answering three questions: “I’m good at ____,” “I’d like to learn ____,” and “I’d like to meet ____.” Women on the platform have the option to include things like their Myers-Briggs personality types as well as their zodiac signs in their profiles.
“This is a place where honesty is mandatory and the commitment of everyone within the community is to learn, grow, and help one another,” Amoruso said in a blog post introducing the platform.
In addition, the website offers several other career-focused resources. Users can join forums, called “Collectives,” which contain other women with similar interests and backgrounds. There are groups for executives, public relations professionals and even current students. Girlboss also sponsors weekly “Fireside Chats,” which are digital Q&As with female leaders in business. The Girlboss blog, aptly named “Required Reading,” posts regular lifestyle, professional and financial content, like “The Ultimate Reading And Podcast List For Women in Media,” “This One Habit Is Making It Hard For Young People to Save Money,” and
“8 Open PR Jobs For Expert Communicators.”
Because of these features and the authentic nature of the website, Girlboss is a natural addition to any female public relations professional’s toolbox. PR is all about establishing and maintaining relationships in new and exciting ways, and this purpose aligns perfectly with Girlboss’ mission and values. Women in PR can utilize the website’s fun and relaxed atmosphere as an extension of their personal brands and take advantage of networking and job opportunities offered within.
Though PR is a field in which the majority of industry professionals are women, there is still a need for an empowering, women-focused professional space. The unfortunate truth is that most of the industry’s highest leadership positions are occupied by men, despite the high number of female public relations practitioners relative to male public relations practitioners.
This phenomenon suggests that women in PR have the potential for increased upward mobility, and Girlboss can help. By empowering women to take control of their careers and communicate authentically, Girlboss is paving the way for a future in which women are just as likely to ascend to leadership roles as their male counterparts. So check it out — your next boss, employee, collaborator, role model or friend is waiting.
