08 Mar Celebrating our women leaders this International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day, and to celebrate we caught up with our Legal Manager, Chloe Jensen for a Q&A to find out more about her experience and advice for women pursuing leadership positions.

In her role with ASAP, Chloe works closely with the ASAP Conveyancing Network and as part of the leadership team, plays a key part in the growth and development of the organization. Her influence also reaches outside of the business, with involvement in groups such as Women in Residential Property, for whom she recently featured in a panel discussion at the inaugural Women in Estate Agency Conference.

How can we encourage more women to pursue leadership roles in their careers?

Encouragement in applying for leadership opportunities needs to be as equally sought by women as it is by men. From the moment that women enter a business, they should be given the training, tools, and signposts to map out their path to leadership positions.

In my career, I started as an assistant in a remortgage department, but due to training opportunities that were offered to me by my employer, I was able to take the steps to progress to Associate Legal Executive. Investment in the future of women’s careers like this is key to helping them reach their desired career goals.

Confidence-building and empowerment through the opportunity to gain increasing levels of experience have also been a large factor in my personal career development.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Last week I joined the Women in Residential Property panel discussion on stage at the Women in Estate Agency conference in front of over 200 delegates.

Being invited to join the panel and stepping out of my comfort zone to speak on stage was a moment that I am particularly proud of. While I had hesitations as I hadn’t spoken at an event like that, in front of a crowd that big, when I was up on stage I felt empowered and in truth could have stayed on stage all day if they had let me!

Is there anyone that inspires you in your career?

I’m particularly inspired by women within the property industry such as Claire Yates and Julie Williams. These women have forged wonderful careers, rising up through boardrooms that were likely often male-dominated. The way they have cemented themselves as leaders for other women in the industry is something that I aspire to.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, from past or present, who would they be and why?

My first choice would be Queen Elizabeth II. She is a wonderful example of a woman that was handed a monumental amount of responsibility from a young age and despite the public scrutiny of her close family, always remained a strong figure with absolute dignity.

Next, I’d love to sit down for dinner with Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan of NASA that featured in the book & film Hidden Figures. These three remarkable women were not only very gifted in their fields, but they had to show extraordinary resilience to achieve their goals.

My final choice, and while somewhat in a different vein from my first two, would be Wonder Woman. Although a character of fiction, she stands for and represents fire and determination within women to me. I think she’s brilliant!

On International Women’s Day, what is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?

Just go for it. If you want something enough, you’re willing to work hard for it, and you seize opportunities when they come along then anything is possible.

To find out more about International Women’s Day 2023 and how to get involved, or if you would like to find out more about the groups mentioned in this article, links are available below.

International Women’s Day – www.internationalwomensday.com

Women in Residential Property – www.womeninresidentialproperty.co.uk

Women in Estate Agency – www.womeninestateagency.co.uk