DON’T LET OTHERS MANAGE YOUR CAREER
by Sandra Quince, Paradigm for Parity Co-chair and Board Member
It’s National Intern Day, a time we recognize the hard work and rich potential of those at the beginning of their careers. For many this is the start of laying the foundation for their professional brand and a step toward taking personal ownership of their career.
I was once told, “I am 100% responsible for managing my career.” This powerful phrase has stuck with me and is now a cornerstone of every woman I mentor.
Several years into my career, I noticed that despite being the first person at my desk and the last to leave, saying yes to assignments and getting high performance reviews, I wasn’t being promoted. Frustrated, I asked a mentor why? Why is this happening to me?
The response was not what I expected but a series of questions. “Who knows you?”, “Have you connected with anyone to share your career goals and aspirations?”, “Can you successfully articulate your value and worth?”, “Are you attending the women’s ERG meetings?
Not understanding what this had to do with me being promoted, I answered, “No, I’ve had my head down working. How would I have time for those things?”
She bluntly replied, “then you are not doing enough.”
Like many women and particularly women of color, I was raised to put my head down and work hard. People will notice and reward you. While doing good work is part of the equation, it is not the most important part of the equation. Women and especially women of color face multiple layers of bias.
This long ago interaction came flooding back to me when I recently read an article profiling Walmart CEO, Doug McMillian. He shared advice, “Don’t take your current job for granted. The next job doesn’t come if you don’t do the one you’ve got well.”
I completely agree with him but, doing the hard work and being excellent at one’s job is table stakes. It’s the given expectation of any employee. To grow as a person and in a career, it takes visibility and an understanding of the entire business. This is especially true for women of color.
McMillian went on to say, “One of the reasons that I got the opportunities that I got was that I would raise my hand…” Aha! He tapped into what many women, myself included, wait too long to figure out. Yes, women are team players but what Doug exemplified in raising his hand was self-advocacy, willingness to take a risk and desire to be visible.
I know plenty of confident women. I was confident but I wasn’t advocating for myself. Having confidence doesn’t mean you have everything figured out. It means you know enough to try; you believe in your abilities to learn; you are comfortable asking for support when needed. For women of color we face the “double bind” having to navigate the expectation to conform to both gender and racial norms, which can be conflicting.
A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that nearly 80% of women struggle with low self-esteem and shy away from self-advocacy at work. While that number may be improving, the struggle persists for many. There are steps you can take to develop your self-advocacy muscle. Start exercising it today.
- Own your career. Schedule touch bases with your manager and their manager. Let them know what you’ve accomplished and how it’s added value to the team and organization. Communicate your interest in new opportunities and assignments.
- Put yourself out there. Actively engage in company-wide and industry events to build your network. Contribute to discussions and always have a point of view. These actions all help to increase visibility. Importantly, look for women and men who hold positions you aspire to and learn about their career journey.
- Understand what you want. Each year evaluate where you are…are you good in your role, are you ready to be expanded or is it time for a promotion. Having clear goals for your career and having confidence in your skills is empowering. Don’t be afraid to go for what you want and don’t ever feel like you have to be 100% ready for what’s next. No one ever is…and they learn along the way. Be willing to bet on yourself.
Whether you are just entering the workplace, mid career or have a c-suite role, we have to continue to own our career and that comes with twists and turns but I love the quote by Ariel Investments CEO who once said, “The biggest risk of all is not taking one.”
by Sandra Quince, Paradigm for Parity Co-chair and Board Member. It’s National Intern Day, a time we recognize the hard work and rich potential of those at the beginning of their careers. For many this is the start of laying the foundation for their professional brand and a step toward taking personal ownership of their career. I was once told, “I am 100% responsible for managing my career.” This powerful phrase has stuck with me and is now a cornerstone of every woman I mentor. Several years into my career, I noticed that despite being the first person at my desk and the last to leave, saying yes to assignments and getting high performance reviews, I wasn’t being promoted. Like many women and particularly women of color, I was raised to put my head down and work hard. People will notice and reward you. While doing good work is part of the equation, it is not the most important part of the equation. Women and especially women of color face multiple layers of bias. This long ago interaction came flooding back to me when I recently read an article profiling Walmart CEO, Doug McMillian. He shared advice, “Don’t take your current job for granted. The next job doesn’t come if you don’t do the one you’ve got well.” I completely agree with him but, doing the hard work and being excellent at one’s job is table stakes. It’s the given expectation of any employee. To grow as a person and in a career, it takes visibility and an understanding of the entire business. This is especially true for women of color. McMillian went on to say, “One of the reasons that I got the opportunities that I got was that I would raise my hand…” Aha! He tapped into what many women, myself included, wait too long to figure out. Yes, women are team players but what Doug exemplified in raising his hand was self-advocacy, willingness to take a risk and desire to be visible.
