Jobs and Careers Autumn 2019 - 35

G U E ST E D I T O R

and speak up for yourself. If you're asked your opinion, don't just go
along with what everyone else thinks. No one wants that attitude
- it means you don't trust your own opinion or don't have one.
"Younger women know they don't have to settle and know
their worth, or are at least finding their feet to find their
worth. But there are still issues about the percentage of women
who don't ask for a pay rise, so there is a long way to go."

Karren on...
ambition
"Never be afraid to be ambitious. It always bothers me when
people are frightened to say they're ambitious because they're seen
as ruthless when there is nothing further from truth. Ambitious
people are those who won't settle, who push themselves and have
a spark that keeps them moving because they want that career,
that promotion, that pay and are prepared to work hard for it.

Karren on...
this year's The Apprentice
"We went bigger this year with the first episode in South Africa,
which was probably the greatest task we've ever done. I guess
it's the best prize on TV, as the winner gets a quarter of a million
pounds to set up a dream business and have a mentor in Alan
Sugar, who puts in all the infrastructure so you can concentrate
on the aspect of the business you're good at. The programme
finds outstanding people and that includes this year's winner."

Karren on...
exercise
"I'm not a gym bunny at all but I do love to walk and
ride a bike. I'm an outdoorsy kind of person. I wish I
did enjoy going to the gym and that I was healthier!"

Karren on...
food

speak in the Lords and write my columns
[for the Sun and Woman & Home]."

Karren on...
her favourite working roles
"I like them all and get something from
all of them, otherwise I wouldn't do
them. That's the beauty of a 32-year
career - you get to do exactly what you
want. When you're building a career you
have to say yes to things you'd rather say
no to, but once you've built a career you
can say no. I've found the independence
I was looking for all those years ago."

Karren on...
spearheading women in business
"A couple of us in the House of Lords are
looking at high-quality childcare, or rather
the lack of it, in the UK. It's one of the
biggest barriers women face, as childcare is
so often seen as the woman's responsibility.
You can't go to work and concentrate
unless you know your kids are safe.
"In Sweden there is a maximum fee
calculated according to income, so those
on low income pay nothing
and more affluent parents
are capped at €139 a
month. And the childcare is
brilliant. In the UK you're
entitled to 33 hours a week,
which doesn't make sense
- it should be 65 hours and
should be tax-deductible.
"Eleven per cent of new mothers report
they've been dismissed, made redundant
or treated so badly they've had to leave
their jobs, which means 54,000 women a
year are losing their jobs because they can't
commit to hours and have to stay at home
because of childcare. This needs to change."

"I've found the
independence I
was looking for all
those years ago"

"I have very plain tastes - my favourite meal is shepherd's pie!
I think this is because I was at boarding school. That doesn't
mean I won't try other things - sometimes I think I should have
a change, but then I don't like it so I stick with what I know."

Karren on...
being in the House of Lords
"It's a privilege and an honour. I don't make laws - my role is
to ensure laws are fit for purpose, so we make amendments
and ensure the proposed laws work properly. I go a lot more
than I did before and have been speaking once a month. I
enjoy it very much, and one has to do one's duty. You carry on
in the House of Lords until you die - it's a life sentence!"

Karren on...
her proudest achievements
"From a personal point of view, my kids and balancing my career and
family - they're real achievements. From a business point of view,
negotiating West Ham's move into the Olympic Stadium in 2010."

Karren on...
managing her working day
"Most days I'm at West Ham and that includes weekends too. I go to
the House of Lords after my day at West Ham ends, and on Fridays I

Karren on...
what she does to relax
"I don't do much in the week, but on a
Friday evening the kids come over - even
if it's before they go out - and we make
a different, funny cocktail every week.
"We always do something as a family on
Sunday - at the moment we're enjoying
doing escape rooms. We did the Crystal
Maze recently, which was a lovely day
out with lots of screaming. The kids
lose it with me and my husband because
they think we're not as good at them
at anything. My daughter wants to do
everything and instructs everyone on how
she'd do it - it's a really good day out!"
JOBS & CAREERS /// 35
Jobs and Careers Autumn 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers Autumn 2019
