Career Wisdom from Women Leaders: How to Navigate Workplace Challenges and Build a Fulfilling Career

Insights from Women in the Workforce Panel

To celebrate Women’s History Month, the Women’s Center and the University of Connecticut Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills hosted an insightful event called Women in the Workforce: Employer Insights & Career Pathways Panel. The event featured experienced professionals sharing valuable career advice and personal experiences.

A flyer from the Women in the Workforce: Employer Insights & Career Pathways panel. Photo courtesy of @uconnwomenscenter on Instagram

Meet the Panelists and Moderators

The event featured two accomplished panelists:

• Leah DeLorenzo - Senior University Relations Talent Consultant at Eversource Energy
• Natalie Javier - Senior Talent Recruiter at the City of Hartford Board of Education

The discussion was moderated by:

• Mihika Sinha - Eighth-semester anthropology and political science student
• Mary Catherine Decoteau - Career Coach at the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills

Career Journeys Are Rarely Linear

Both panelists shared that their career paths have been anything but straightforward. Neither currently works in a field directly related to their college degrees, demonstrating that career changes are not only common but can lead to fulfilling opportunities.

DeLorenzo and Javier emphasized that career paths are rarely linear, with most people changing roles and industries multiple times throughout their professional lives.

Navigating Workplace Challenges

The panelists openly discussed the challenges they've faced, particularly in male-dominated fields and environments with ethical concerns.

Leah DeLorenzo shared powerful insights about workplace ethics: "I have encountered a lot of managers and coworkers that have been very demeaning. And I think it's been very challenging in terms of finding a place that is ethical."

She offered crucial advice about knowing when to move on: "There have even been times when I have gotten to the point where I'm not comfortable with the environment I'm working in and therefore, I should move on to another role. You have to have the courage to be able to move on and say 'okay, well, I want to be somewhere that is more reflective of who I am as a person.'"

Natalie Javier echoed similar experiences, noting challenges with workload distribution and witnessing microaggressions in the workplace.

A flyer from the Women in the Workforce panel. Photo courtesy of @uconnwomenscenter on Instagram

Essential Skills for Career Success

When asked about important skills for job-seeking students, both panelists emphasized:

1. Be Proactive and Ask Questions Javier stressed: "Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek out other people."

2. Embrace Feedback Javier explained: "Feedback is good. Like, you want feedback. That's how you grow and get better. I've learned and grown so much in the moments I messed up and made a mistake."

3. Find the Right Advocates DeLorenzo advised: "Find the people that are going to advocate for you. You want to be surrounded by people that want you to do well. If you are surrounding yourself with people that aren't giving constructive criticism but are just giving criticism, it's going to break you down eventually."

Final Career Advice from the Experts

Leah DeLorenzo offered reassurance about career planning: "No career path is linear. I have never heard one person say they went to school, got a job out of college and then stayed in that job for their entire life. And it's absolutely horrifying to need the thought of having it all figured out upon graduation. So, I don't mean you shouldn't start planning before graduation, but I do mean you don't have to have it all figured out before then."

Natalie Javier highlighted valuable resources: "Utilize the Career Center. I feel like schools and students don't utilize the Career Center as much as they should be. They give you many resume workshops and they practice interviewing skills. They can even help hook you up with internship opportunities and to speak on your behalf the many things that you may not have access to."

The event concluded with a question-and-answer session covering internships, graduate school applications, interviews, and Master's degrees.

One attendee, Izabela Neiger, a sixth-semester psychology student, reflected: "This event was super helpful. Learning more about the different paths a person can take and how you're not locked into one career forever was influential. And the fact that there's always room to explore and develop yourself further was helpful as well."