Words by Tracey Cheung
Vanya Mariani, Commercial Director of Media at carsales, arrived in Australia from Bosnia during her high school years in the late 1990s. She remembers feeling a lack of confidence as she entered the workforce, "not because of inexperience but because of my ethnic name. So much so that I legally changed my name from Vanja Mujkic to Vanya Mariani during my first job search out of uni.”
But several mentors during her career, who provided support and belief in her, helped Mariani gain confidence and quash insecurities about her cultural background.
Regardless of career stage, whether born here or as a recent migrant, pursuing a career in a country outside of your culture comes with challenges that often can only be experienced to be understood.
These can include upskilling in qualifications and language, building new networks and adapting to a different culture, while battling with low confidence, feelings of inadequacy and not fitting in.
But mentors can be an invaluable source of support and guidance for CALD women.
Challenges exist for all career levels
Even those who arrive already well-qualified, having held a senior position, may find they need to take a step down in their career in their new country. Sudeshna Ghosh, currently the Managing Editor at SBS Food, experienced this when she arrived here in 2018 from Dubai.
“I was prepared for that, given I was entering a new market … I did feel sometimes that some opportunities I could have been an ideal fit for, I wasn't considered for, often going to people who were clearly less qualified than me.”
Having been on the other side of recruiting, Ghosh understands many factors play a role, “But thinking about it in hindsight, this definitely felt like one of the factors that went into the decision. It's like certain roles are almost considered off-limits for people of colour, especially in Australian media. I think other industries are ahead of the media industry when it comes to diversity.”
Having a mentor or role model helps in navigating the process and the cultural nuances she says.
“A lot of hiring, especially for senior level roles, often happens through word of mouth and networks – some are not even advertised. When one hasn't spent much of their career in this country, having access to those networks and, consequently, those opportunities become impossible. That is also where having a mentor can help open doors and unlock opportunities.”
Unlocking access to opportunities
Sharon Latour, CEO of Marketing Bee came to Australia in 2006 as an international student. She says she had to build her credibility from scratch but lacked the local network and support systems.
She leaned on industry events, local business groups, and professional associations, which was how she met her mentor.
"A great mentor offers more than just advice. My mentor opened doors to networking opportunities that would have been difficult for me to access otherwise.
"One of the most significant hurdles was understanding the nuances of Australian business practices and the local market.
"His belief in my potential was unwavering, which bolstered my confidence during moments of doubt. He also provided strategic insights into the Australian market, which helped me make better business decisions.”
Embracing strengths and benefits of diversity
Mentors can also help women see the potential and beauty of their diversity and the benefits and strengths these unique insights can bring.
Latour says her mentor helped her cultivate resilience, "teaching me that while I may have started on a different footing, my diverse background and experiences were, in fact, valuable assets.
"It's critical to have someone who reinforces that their diversity is a strength, not something to hide.”
Latour also says a good mentor must, first and foremost, have empathy and cultural awareness.
Mariani agrees. "We never know by which circumstance someone has made it to this country, and certain sensitivities must be observed in how we relate to migrants in Australia. Diversity and inclusion training is critical, but it's still quite generalised. It may need to be a bit more specific to cover certain nuances and understand different groups. Training in emotional intelligence, unconscious bias, diversity, inclusion and belonging can help people with different backgrounds understand how they show up in the workplace and what value they add. Likewise, it creates awareness about unconscious biases that need to be addressed."
Listening and validating
Alicia Vrajlal is the founder of Draw Your Box, a digital news publication elevating South Asian voices and issues. She participated in Media Diversity Australia's (MDA) Women of Colour Mentorships program first as a mentee in 2022, then as a mentor in 2023 and 2024, to guide young journalists. She says listening can be so important for a mentee who may need someone to have conversations with that they may not feel comfortable talking about with anyone else.
"I've had scenarios in the workplace where I'll speak about a concern, and it's shut down. That's the biggest thing I found, the defensiveness or denial, or making someone second guess themselves.
"I'd been working in media for almost 10 years at this point, and rarely had a woman of colour mentor."
Vrajlal’s previous experience with a mentor, although not from a CALD background, was positive. However, the MDA internship gave her the opportunity to have a mentor of a similar cultural background. "It was amazing because lived experience is so important. When I spoke about certain things, she just got it."
Vrajlal stressed the need for more CALD people in higher management levels who could be effective mentors.
Tracey Cheung is a freelance writer, content writer and copywriter.