Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
watch how she behaves and how she deals with difficult situations. How does she
handle a client? How does she react in a crisis situation? She could be your men-
tor or your role model, and you can strive to follow a similar path. She may not
be famous or well known, but even in her limited field she is a first among equals.
Let me caution you here: although I am eager and glad to help other women,
many women are not as available and willing to engage others. If you reach
out to someone and she isn't receptive, do not take it personally. It may be any
number of reasons including time, professional limitations, and personal pref-
erences. In any event, do not make it about you, take it personally, or become
discouraged if you don't get the response you desire.
Mentoring can be valuable to your career for many reasons, including increased
confidence, an increased desire to pursue a career, feelings of support and under-
standing, and enhanced optimism about the choices you are making regarding
your career. More specifically, you will receive guidance in decision making, min-
imize your mistakes, discover the path to success sooner, and find someone who
believes in you - all of which will lead to fewer sleepless nights! And you're going
to need your sleep as a future leader. Mentoring can also have direct benefits from
a career standpoint, as a mentor can help guide your career, create opportunity,
and allow you to benefit from their experiences. Make the decision to identify role
models and/or mentors today. It will truly make a difference in your career.
Mentoring Up Close and Personal
Most of us have known a few women or had mothers who were leaders in the
professional and personal settings. These were often our first examples of female
leadership whether they had the accompanying titles or not - they lead. This may
have meant corralling a family, soccer team, or after-school crew for studying.
In some cases, we watched our mothers succeed as exceptional working women
who then came home and managed this second environment with enviable levels
of ease that included cooking dinner, encouraging children, preparing for the next
day, and creating an environment of comfort for everyone in the home.
It is also important to note that fathers have set leadership examples and men-
tored many young women. Although we may not have directly associated a father's
success with our ability to be successful as women, their encouragement often
provides the impetus for us to pursue and succeed in nontraditional careers. My
father is certainly an example of this - requiring me to take countless math classes
from the 7
th
grade through my high school graduation to make sure I maintained
certain career options. Additionally, he set a wonderful example for me, with a
powerful work ethic, integrity, and constant discussion about the importance of
education. In fact, without his guidance I would never have considered a career in
engineering as I would not have had the math background that gave me the confi-
dence to even consider this career. He and my mother, though neither was college
educated, made it clear to my siblings and me that we could accomplish anything
we set our minds to achieve. However, it was still very different for me as a woman
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