A HEART-TO-HEART
FROM ONE
WOMAN
IN STEM
TO ANOTHER
Cancel the noise
You will meet people with a wide spectrum of personalities. Nice people, grumpy people, angry people, motivating people..you name it. There will be a lot of noise and a lot of opinions. You have to learn to cancel the noise and focus on the constructive feedback. Take what helps you grow, and leave what holds you back.
Your mentors will save you
It will get to a point where your connections will help you get to where you want to be. Start building relationships early on. In the real world, sometimes people are less qualified but get the job because they networked. I know, it sounds unfair, but it just shows how important professional relationships are.
One letter from an important
reference can get you far.
Be honest with yourself
There will come a time where you have to make some fundamental decisions in your career. Where do you want to work? Do you need time off for pregnancy? When will you come back? Do you even want to come back?
These are lifestyle decisions only you can make. They’re difficult, important, and need planning ahead of time. So from early on, be honest with
yourself about what you want.
I know it’s hard, but the sooner
you do it, the easier it’ll be to plan.
You’ll get tired
At one point in your career, you will get tired. Not necessarily because you’re a woman in STEM, but because it can get exhausting trying to find that job you really like.
I want you to know this is something almost everyone goes through, even men. Don’t get discouraged. Take a break if you need to. Explore your options. Do things that take your mind off of work. This will help you in the long run.
