Forte Foundation Career Panel – for Women Interested in Business (Sept. 23, 2009)

Another great women’s networking forum is the Forte Foundation., where I went to a Career Panel held at the Chicago Gleacher Center (downtown by the river) on September 23, 2009.  Their mission is to get more women into the MBA track and on to leadership positions in business.  Or as they put it on their “About” page:
“Our mission is to substantially increase the number of women business leaders by increasing the flow of women into key educational gateways and business networks. We will achieve this mission by:
·    Motivating young women to prepare for a business career
·    Increasing women's access to education and business networks
·    Educating women on the value of an MBA
·    Supporting women financially in their business education
·    Raising awareness of the impact women can make on business and on society/culture/environment/economy
·    Encouraging and supporting cutting-edge research on relevant topics”

….Which is awesome, since I saw the reality of the male majority at the Chicago Booth “Future of Markets” conference.  Every fall, they hold various MBA-related Career Forums in major cities where you can learn more about different schools, paths in business, how to navigate career advancement as a woman, and connect with women business leaders.  I remember meeting one woman at McKinsey (Shannon Gordon) who was particularly engaging.  I was still learning more about the wide world of consulting, and Shannon was particularly helpful in taking extra time after the panel to talk to a dozen curious and anxious undergraduates about her experience and career choices.

Even if you’re pretty sure you want to go into academia, or government, or go work for the Peace Corps, I’d still recommend going to a Forte Foundation career forum or MBA informational event. Just to see what you might be missing.  You never know – perhaps you’ll change the world from the boardroom!  As the Forte Foundation marketing materials said – “Hey girls, it’s no longer the bored room!”  Happy networking.

Forte Foundation Career Panel Ratings
Overall – 4/4 (Great event; I met a lot of interesting women professionals)
Noise – 4/4 Boardroom crisp / lecture hall clear
People – good breadth (variety of industries represented) and depth (chatting with panelists afterward) )
Food – 1/4 – eat dinner beforehand to avoid getting distracted by dreams of sandwiches during networking…
Clothing – business casual (suits without jackets or something like that)
Approximate Gender Ratio – about 100% women
Age Range – 18-50s (college students to mid-career)
Cost - $10 or $15 – not free, but well worth the minimal cost
URL / More info on the Forte Foundation: www.fortefoundation.org
    Forte Events: http://www.fortefoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=events_main