Erin Fenwick

I attribute my success to hard work and having a competitive spirit. Life can often be a teacher of hard lessons and a person must have the drive and be willing to tackle the same task over and over if necessary to achieve success. I have an innate focus and desire to constantly learn and challenge myself both personally and professionally. Tell me that I can't and I will show you that I can. Every time that life has knocked me down, I just kept getting back up. Yes it was hard, sometimes I didn't want to get back up, sometimes I just wanted to lay there and cry, but something in me pulls me up every time. I truly want to succeed in everything that I do.

The best career advise that I received came right after I went into my first professional job. A seasoned manager told me to never say no to any opportunity that came my way and that if I did that, then I would do just fine. He told me to always say yes to any personal development, professional development, training, class, seminar, conference, promotion, etc... even if I had no interest in it at all and even if I seen absolutely no way that it would benefit me and if it seemed that it would be a waste of my time. The seasoned manager knew that even if something didn't seem beneficial or appealing at the time, that it could be useful in the future to have the experience and that attending those types of events would put me in a position to make connections with people who could be influential in my career.

A young woman today who is entering into the business sector needs to have tough skin. She must learn not to take anything personal and this can be difficult even for a seasoned professional like myself. It is hard advise to follow. Always remember that it is really just business and that you are there to do what is best and work for the benefit of your organization. We make tough decisions and we make tough calls, but in the end all for the greater good of everyone. We can cry or be emotional when we get home at night, but in the workplace we need to be cool, calm, and have it all under control.

In my work life, I need to feel valued and like I am making a difference. I like when I am the only person who does my role. I like the responsibility and knowing that I am contributing and not easily replaced. I need to feel adequately paid for the work that I do and that I am compensated fairly especially in comparison to my male peers. I like to be the boss and control my work flow. In my personal life, I need to feel that I am providing support to those around me and helping where and when I can. I don't need to be the boss and I don't want to be the boss at home.