Career Girls

To view Parts 1 and 2, please click here (Part 1) and here (Part 2).

Over the last four years, my husband and I have welcomed two daughters, and my professional career has evolved into my current role as Senior Software Applications and Project Manager. 

What does that mean?

Good question: I am the subject matter expert and manager of a suite of about 10 software applications ranging from scholarship applications to survey tools, room reservation systems and more, including our customer relationship management (CRM) system. 

In my opinion, there are two kinds of IT professionals: hardware people – those who can build and troubleshoot the computers used around the world today – and software people – those who can build, maintain and troubleshoot the programs running on these machines.  I fall in the latter group.

Why do I love what I do?

We are in a unique position in United States history in that, for the first time ever, we have four generations all working together.  Along with this, we continue to make technological advancements at a rate never-before seen. 

Project managers are change agents and risk assessors.  It is our job to implement new things with the least disturbance to your users’ daily lives, and that can be difficult when working with four generations of staff with varying ranges of familiarity and comfort level with technology.  It takes an organized person who communicates well and has a collaborative personality to do this job well.  I use my PR degree daily trying to convince hesitant users that I’m going to make their lives easier with technology, not more difficult! 

Although I don’t regret any point on my career path, I wish I would have had a resource like Career Girls as a 13-year-old tumbleweed.  If I could offer you two pieces of advice, they would be:

1. Seek out mentors early and often – people you aspire to be like and those who will help coach and guide you, while maintaining an honest, open relationship.
2. Learn what your strengths are and what your personality traits are and focus on refining them.  StrengthsQuest is a great strengths assessment, and Real Colors is excellent for a personality assessment, to not only understand your personality but how you work with others.

I’m happy I landed in a career similar to what my parents and so many of my siblings have chosen.  It’s one more piece of proof that I really should never say “never”.  Now, I have two smart, witty daughters I can gently nudge towards Science/Technology/Engineering/Math (STEM) toys, projects and coursework.  Maybe, one or both of them will choose to go into this line of work.  Or, I may have a 13-year-old telling me one day that what I do is hard and she’ll NEVER do that, to which I’ll gently respond, “Never say never.”

Adapted from previous guest-blog posts on AdminHero.com and WeAreGirlforce.com.