How I got here
“Having a career is not and should not be at the exclusion of anything else in your life – be that living your passion – sports, music, travelling – or having a family. Balance makes us successful.”
Caroline Knöri, Head Human Resources Vontobel
What was your dream career as
a girl?
I was born and grew up in France and as a young girl I wanted to be a diplomat, based on the idea of living in different countries. Then around 12 years old my dream evolved into becoming a Juvenile Court Judge; I was driven by a strong sense of supporting equality of chances from a young age.
What role models did you have as a student? What or who were key influencers when deciding on your career path?
I didn’t have any specific role models, but very inspiring parents. My mother always pushed us to have a career and be financially independent. She had to go through a divorce in the early 70’s and constantly repeated that having a job as a woman meant being free to make your own choices in life.
The other person who influenced me was my father. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother and I don’t recall one second in my entire childhood or youth where my environment messaged to me that a career path should be different for a woman than it would be for a man. My parents and my dad especially encouraged us to study, set the bar high, do something that we like and always look at the broad spectrum of options.
What was your aha-moment when you realized that gender stereotypes may (or do) have an impact on your career development?
How did you deal with it?
It came very late…the ‘diversity thing’ was for a long time a topic I couldn’t relate to. “Be good and the rest will follow” was my credo. Growing into my career, I realized I was often the only woman in the room, the ‘HR woman.’ I had to make an extra effort to be listened to, especially in male-dominated environments. I also realized I was not helping myself, sometimes lacking assertiveness or self-confidence. Stereotypes exist and most of the time they can be overcome by doing a good job and believing in one’s capabilities.
1st: Selecting my managers well. I don’t know if I was just lucky in life, but I’ve had great ones who I could trust and I could learn from and with them.
2nd: Watching for my own balance and having a strong core circle. I have a family, friends and colleagues who remind me of what matters, tell me the blunt truth when needed, or offer easier tips like “have a run or take a vacation!”
What is your number 1 advice for career aspiring women?
Be genuine, accept who you are, take your career as a learning journey. Build on your strengths and make your weaknesses become your strengths. Being more sensitive than the average and having the ‘impostor syndrome’ can ultimately make you a better leader and someone more open to learning and feedback.
Lastly – and for every woman – having a career is not and should not be at the exclusion of anything else in your life – be that living your passion – sports, music, travelling – or having a family. Balance makes us successful.