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There are many paths to career success, but the women who achieve their dreams tend to surpass the same key milestones along the way. Our panel of top African American career women, ranging in age from their mid-20s to their late 50s, shed light on the common lessons they've learned in pursuit of careers in law, entertainment, publishing, education, consumer goods and entrepreneurship.
First and foremost, they say, follow your heart.
“Do what you love and the money will come,” says Deborah Rather, formerly a vice president with a New York consumer goods company and now a real estate investor and entrepreneur. “Even as a young person, I always wanted to be in management. I liked the power, the respect, the ability to get things done. When you love what you do, you just roll right over the obstacles and pitfalls. From the time I was in high school, everything I did was designed to lead to management.”
Niki Ingram, although now a partner in a Philadelphia law firm, regrets not following that advice. “If there was one thing I'd do differently in my career, it would have been to pursue my love of psychology,” she says. “Getting a law degree took two years less than a doctorate in psychology. That was short-sighted thinking.”
The panelists also urge you to:
Master Your Field: “My education is an added bonus; learn all you can about your current or intended area of expertise,” says Dawn Muhammed, chair of the General Studies Department for University of Phoenix.
Forge Your Own Path: Carol Parks started out as an editor, working for the likes of Vogue and Ebony. Today she is a principal of a 20-year-old consulting firm. “Have an initial dream, but don't worry about sticking to it come heck or high water,” she says. “Accept it can come to fruition in many forms. Understand what stage of life you're in.”
“Forget about taking advice,” echoes Deb Smith, Midwest advertising manager for O, the Oprah Magazine. “Take some risks. When I went to American Health magazine, everyone said I was crazy. It was the stepping-stone to where I am now.”
Connect with Others: “So often we African American women isolate ourselves,” says Smith. “Never underestimate the power of social interaction. You don't have to be anybody's best friend, but we have to get over this thing of I don't want to be around certain people.”
Parks agrees. “Just about everything I've ever had has come from talking with people,” she says.
Stay Professional: Muhammed says it's important to control your emotions. “Never let 'em see you sweat,” she says. “If you think you're on the verge of tears, drink water slowly. You can't cry while you swallow.”
What would our panelists do differently if they had the chance?
- “Have a mentor,” says Smith. “I've had friends and others who have served in that role. Looking back, I would actively cultivate a mentoring relationship. I would have had more learning up front and less stumbling around through trial and error.”
- Follow the money,” Rather advises. “Women don't realize how much is subject to negotiation. People who pay attention to the money make more money -- it's that simple.”
- Treat each stage of life as important,” counsels Parks. “I'm happy where I am, and I am supremely confident that when I'm 60, something else may make me happy. It sounds corny, but learn to live in the moment -- that's taken me a while to understand."
- "Be bold,” says Smith. “Black women shy away from talking ourselves up. I'm not talking about [being] arrogant. You need to go in and say that you're the best at what you do and make sure they know why. Don't ask, don't get."
Advice is easy; action is the key. Take what you like from our panelists' wisdom and put it to work for you. Knowledge is not power, but applying knowledge can put you on your own path to success.
