Joining a male-dominated industry, like engineering, computer science or construction trades, can be intimidating. So can working in a predominantly male office. Women often struggle to figure out how to gain respect from male colleagues. It's imperative to establish yourself as an intelligent, no-nonsense employee. Here are some ways to navigate a mostly male office.

    -- Make sure women are valued. Before joining a firm in a male-dominated industry, make sure the company values and promotes women. Check to see if women are represented on the board and in leadership positions at the company, says Betty Spence, president of the National Association for Female Executives, a women's business association in New York. During the interview process, consider asking to speak with female employees to get their input and contact human resources to ask about policies like maternity leave.

    -- Identify alpha and beta males. Separate the two types of men in the office and engage accordingly, says Christopher Flett, founder of Ghost CEO, a professional development program for women. Alpha males have a 'get it done' mind-set, so when speaking to an alpha co-worker, use 'goal-oriented' language and get to the point quickly, says Mr. Flett. Beta males are more concerned with collaboration and partnership, so tailor your language accordingly.

    -- Find a mentor. Look for a female employee at your company to mentor you. She can provide you with a built-in support system and can help you figure out the lay of the land, says Raylie Dunkel, an executive coach and director of development with the Women's Leadership Exchange. If you can't find someone in the company, join a professional organization and build connections there. Mentors with direct experience in a male-dominated workplace can offer invaluable advice to navigating tricky situations.

    -- Speak assertively. Eliminate the phrase 'I'm sorry' from your vocabulary, unless it's truly warranted. Women tend to apologize for situations that they aren't responsible for, which demonstrates weakness, says Ms. Spence. Don't begin sentences with the phrase 'I think,' as it demeans what you're saying, says Ms. Dunkel. Take a cue from your male co-workers and be direct and confident. Practice removing any traces of tentativeness from your vocabulary and be declarative when you speak.

    -- Socialize with the boys. It may feel like you're crashing a fraternity party, but make your best effort to socialize with your male co-workers in formal and informal situations. Whether it's tagging along for lunch or drinks after work, important information is exchanged informally; being there to hear it may benefit your career, says Ms. Spence. If you find yourself being left out, organize your own events, says Ms. Dunkel. Consider joining the company-sponsored softball team or other activities.

    -- Don't assume stereotypical roles. Women are naturally nurturing and it's something you shouldn't be afraid to show at work. However, be careful to not appear servile. Ms. Spence says never clean up after your co-workers or bring coffee to meetings -- you'll run the risk of being stereotyped and taken advantage of.

    對于一名女性來說，在諸如工程、電腦、建筑等男性主導的行業就職難免會有些戰戰兢兢，而在一個大部分都是男性同事的辦公室工作也是如此。女性常常絞盡腦汁也想不出如何才能得到男同事的敬重。給自己塑造一個勤奮、嚴肅的形像是必須的，除此之外，我們對如何在以男同事為主的辦公室里生存還有以下一些建議。

    確認女性的價值能得到尊重。在加入一個以男性為主的行業之前，必須確認這家公司尊重并鼓勵女性的參與。總部位于紐約的全美女性管理人員協會(National Association for Female Executives)主席斯賓塞(Betty Spence)說，可以看看公司董事會和管理層里是否有女性。去公司面試時可以考慮提出跟公司里的女性員工交談，搜集她們的反饋，并接觸人力資源部門詢問有關產假等方面的政策。

    對兩類男性區別對待。女性職業發展項目Ghost CEO創始人弗萊特(Christopher Flett)說，要對辦公室里的兩類男性區別對待。A類男性喜歡采取行動實現目標，跟這類男性說話的時候，可采用“目標驅動型”語言，開門見山。弗萊特說，B類男性更關注合作和伙伴關系，因此你可以針對性地選擇表達方式。

    找一位導師。在公司里物色一位女同事為你提供指導意見。Women's Leadership Exchange職業發展部主任兼培訓老師鄧克爾(Raylie Dunkel)說，她能為你提供“貼身”支持，幫助你認清情況。如果在公司里找不到這樣的人，可以加入職業機構并在那里發展這類關系。一位在男性主導的工作環境中有親身經驗的導師所提供的意見將會是無價之寶。

    講話要果斷。別老說“很抱歉”之類的話，除非有十足的理由。女性常常會對并非她們造成的情況道歉，斯賓塞說，這顯出她們的軟弱。鄧克爾則認為，說話的時候不要用“我認為”開頭，因為這會減弱你所講內容的份量。參考一下你的男同事的語言特點，自己在講話時更直接、更有自信。練習在講話時去掉那些顯示不太有把握的詞匯，試著更明確、干脆。

    多與男性交往。你可能會有好像破壞了男性聚會的感覺，但你該盡最大努力在正式或非正式場合跟男同事交往。斯賓塞說，不論是一起吃午餐還是工作結束后一起來點咖啡，在這些非正式場合也會有重要的信息交流，參與進去、聽聽這些或許對你的職業發展有好處。鄧克爾說，如果你發現自己被忽略了，你可以自己組織這類活動。可以考慮參加公司主辦的壘球隊或其他活動。

    不要扮演固有的老套角色。女性天生有母性的一面，你不必擔心在工作中會顯露這一點。不過，要注意的是不要表現得卑躬屈膝。斯賓塞說，不要跟在同事后面清理亂攤子，或是往會議室里送咖啡，否則，你有可能給別人留下這種固定印象，長此以往，會被一些人“占便宜”。