Were there any clear moments of unique learning during your career that changed how you view the world?
Reading about and hearing first-hand from other women, their experiences in the business world, helped me realize I wasn’t alone. Some of the most challenging experiences were being ignored or pushed into traditional gender roles (think clean-up after a lunch meeting). Hearing the same from others helped me realize it’s not me; I didn’t do anything to illicit those behaviors. They helped me learn how to discourage those behaviors and be prepared to respond immediately as they were happening.
What is the best advice you’ve received?
Write down what you want out of your career, keeping an eye on what you want to be able to do outside of work, as well. This will help you not only take advantage of desirable opportunities that arise, but also when you need to say no to an opportunity. Having clear goals will help you explain to your leadership what you want and why you think a certain opportunity might not help you accomplish your goals.
What is the advice you would want to have known at the beginning of your career?
You must advocate for yourself. It’s not enough to know your craft and work hard. Make your career aspirations known to your leadership. Ask what you need to do in order to accomplish those goals – this helps make your leadership accountable for their role in your career progression, as well. And don’t be embarrassed to toot your own horn! If you’re feeling awkward about it, ask someone you trust to share your accomplishments via social media. Positive visibility matters!