Alexis Costello

I attribute my success to being stubborn in the right ways, or I guess determined is a better word. I'm very much go with the flow and don't care about a lot of surface level things, but when it comes to the things that matter, I'm definitely more willing to use my voice and stand up for what I think is right versus wrong. I also have a great support system. I'm set in my ways, but usually for the right reasons. I think forcing myself to embrace a new challenge and something that maybe I wasn't initially comfortable with really forced me to be confident in myself, in my way of thinking, and my physical, mental, emotional, and psychological capabilities.

The best career advice I've received is to fail forward. A woman that I serve with who is a very high rank, she's a chief in the Air Force, always says to fail forward, and that's something that I keep in the back of my mind. I know there are going to be times where I make a mistake or I could have made a better choice, and that will probably lead to some sort of failure, quote-unquote, but if you can keep going and rather than letting it be a setback, you can learn and grow from it.

First and foremost, work on your self-confidence. That was something I really struggled with in high school, and forcing myself to embrace a new challenge and something that maybe I wasn't initially comfortable with really forced me to be confident in myself, in my way of thinking, and my physical, mental, emotional, and psychological capabilities. I think that's probably the biggest challenge for young women. Secondly, find your voice. Find the things that you're passionate about and be relentless about it. Be determined, be a little stubborn. But also know when you're maybe in the wrong or when you need to take a step back. Know when to lead and when to follow. Being a woman, we have to have a voice, whatever that may look like. And embrace the bad days. A woman I serve with who is a chief in the Air Force always says to fail forward. I know there are going to be times where I make a mistake or could have made a better choice, and that will probably lead to some sort of failure, quote-unquote, but if you can keep going and rather than letting it be a setback, that's another huge piece of advice.

The biggest challenges in my field are around being a woman in a male-dominated industry. We've come a long way with women having a place and having a voice, and I certainly have that in my job at Raytheon and in the military, but there are still some challenges. I think it can be hard or difficult to be in a leadership position as a woman, especially in a male-dominated field. When things are pretty hectic and demanding and I'm trying to advocate to solve a problem at a larger scale, it can be difficult for me to have a bigger voice and presence and advocate for myself, and on the inverse, it can be difficult for some people to receive that. On the opportunities side, being a woman has its pros and cons, just as being a man does. Being a woman in my field, there's not many of us, so there are a lot of opportunities where people want to show the diversity in the industry. People are always seeking opportunities to highlight women in leadership roles or women who are trailblazing a new path and not sticking to the status quo. I've had a lot of opportunities because of that. I've certainly worked hard for it and proved myself so that I can have a voice, but it's also worked out in my favor where I've been given opportunities because of it.