Today we got up close and personal to a lovely lady called Linda Mulholland. Let’s find out what she had to say.

Linda Mulholland (HR Generalist for a Pharmaceutical Company) Linda Mulholland is a HR Generalist working in pharmaceuticals, bsc in social science and politics from UCD, msc in human resource management from DIT. Working for 3 years in HR area. Areas of specialisation are employee engagement and organisational design, employee relations and change management.

How do you define career success?

By being respected and recognised for the work that you do. I don’t think success is all about climbing the ladder and being rewarded in monetary terms, but by having a seat at the top table and being looked upon as a peer.

Do you think female execs get the support they need from their work environment to be ambitious?

I think it depends on the industry. In Pharmaceuticals, yes, I have seen many women being supported in being ambitious in their work while also being supported fully in education, family or whatever it is they wish to do.

How does one create a supportive environment at work and home? How do you balance work and personal life?

Communication is key. Managers need to listen to their staff when they are saying that their work is increasing instead of begrudging them and wishing they would do more. It is not about verbal communication. It is about recognising the signs when someone is struggling. It could be for many reasons and a manager needs to face this head on and support where necessary. While I myself do work long hours, I try to fit in time to exercise a few times a week and ensure to switch off completely over the weekend.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing women at your age today?

While I think women are now focused much more so on their careers, I think for woman my age, they are starting families and it is juggling both their career and family life. Also, some industries are predominantly male lead and I think this needs to change.

What advice did you receive early in your career that has stayed with you throughout your journey?

Learn the politics of your company and fast!

Why do you think diversity is so important in the workplace?

Where I work, we have about 20 or so nationalities working for us. This brings with it alot of things to look out for in terms of cultural norms but it also brings a lot of fun and diversity to how work is done here. You constantly hear people around the office trying to know their colleagues by learning a few words in a different language. In terms of women, our workforce is about 50/50 which is fantastic. We have lots of women availing of maternity leave also.

Any female role model who has inspired you over your career and why?

I don’t know about in terms of business but one woman whom I have always thought was an inspiration and someone who I looked up to was Kim Gordon of the band Sonic Youth. She is a badass!

Another great interview, come back tomorrow for more!