I’m on the workforce development committee for one of the professional organizations I’m involved with. Recently there was a conversation about how the girls that were being recruited for a technical program (with the expectation they would take technical jobs in a field that’s predominantly male) were not the right girls. My knee-jerk reaction was to take offence to this comment, but when I thought about my early career for just a second, I realized the speaker was absolutely right. It’s not for everyone.
Back (20+ years ago – yikes!) when I was starting out as an Electrical Engineer, there were pictures, cartoons, and calendars in the labs that you’d get fired for today, the older engineers called you “honey”, and the VP in my organization was well known for feeling up all the “girls” he could get near. We all learned real quick to stay an arms length away.
The focus on sexual harassment has changed the most overt issues, but it still takes a special kind of young woman to be successful in a predominately male field.
I think my initial visceral reaction came from a sense of justice – it shouldn’t be this way, but you know what, it is.
Until we reach that state of utopia, what’s a young woman to do? My feminist friends may take issue with some of this, and I’d love to have a discussion about it, but here are my thoughts:
1) Have a sense of humor - Running to HR every time you overhear a raunchy joke is going to do nothing for your career, or your relationships at work. Am I saying women should put up with harassment – NO, absolutely not, but not everything is harassment.
2) Have a thick skin – Men (and women) can be rough. It’s usually not personal. Men don’t usually have an issue with this, but young women sometimes take things too personally.
3) Stand up for yourself – If you’re going to be intimidated by a big gruff crusty old engineer who yells and swears, it might not be the right field for you. If you are going to back down to the young male engineer who’s threatened because you’re smarter and work harder than him, then maybe it’s not the right field for you. Believe me, it’s not always easy to do, but it’s the only way to earn respect.
4) Work is work – Men get this. Watch them. They can argue like crazy about business issues, then go out, and have a beer together.
Remember, one of the big keys to professional success are the relationships you form, and if you’re working in a male dominated field like engineering you MUST be able to form healthy, professional relationships with those in your field – men. I’m curious to hear what other women think of this.
I will give you an ancient guy's perspective to what you have posted.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is 'you go girl' -- my daughter shadowed me, worked for me, moved down south, and ventured out on her own. As far as she was concerned there was nothing she could not do and she learned the hard way how cruel the business world could be. Her mettle was tempered by these experiences. So at the age of 29 she was promoted to president of a consulting company, doubled the staff, entered new markets, and opened two new offices - she then at the age of 32, with her bachelors of geophysics degree in hand, beat out a guy with a masters in environmental science and a law degree to become corporate vice-president of environmental affairs for one of the largest banks in the USA. Why, because what the other candidate had in theory, she actually had in practice and was experienced in making things happen.
Nothing beats hands on experience, dirt under your finger nails, fire in your gut, passion for what you do, and a positive work ethic. Just eat your competition for lunch!
Judi - our college and high school students need to hear your perspective - what you are talking about are the 'employability skills', the 'success skills' that so many lack or even appreciate. Everyone makes their own success and you have articulated how you made yours. You career is a chess board and to win you need to know what strategies to employ.
Nicely done! Good question to investigate.
Bob Klancko