Her Story
About Maria
I began my career at Nicor Gas here in Illinois as a customer service representative, starting at the very entry level, bottom of the company. At the time, I was going to school to get my degree in technology. My initial goal was to work in a more technical field, like building networking systems and stuff, but unfortunately at that time there was a lot of male domination in that field. It was really difficult to land a job in that kind of networking technology field. Even when I was going to school, I was the only female in the class. That's how I ended up growing more into the business side of this industry. From that customer service role, I moved myself up to the role I'm currently holding as Manager of Billing Services. The company offers mentorship programs for employees who are interested in growing and learning, and I took advantage of that. Every year there's a new opportunity to enroll, and managers and VPs volunteer their time to help those that are interested in learning and growing. I had a few mentors throughout the years. Now I have a master's degree in business, and I've been in leadership for several years. I participate in the company's mentorship program as a mentor myself, which requires at least 3 years in leadership. I've been a mentor for the past 3 or 4 years for other employees. In my current role in the billing department, I'm even bringing in an intern in May, a young girl who's going for her degree in accounting, which I think is a really good opportunity for college students.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Maria
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is just to trust yourself. Don't feel incapable of things that you haven't even tried. And don't be afraid. Continue to learn, be always a student of life, because things change all the time, so you have to be adaptable. Those are a combination of the best advices that I apply and continue to apply, keeping an open mind.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I think the same thing, you know, just keep working on your goals, don't derail. Sometimes life is hard, but don't keep the focus on the end of where you want to be, so just keep focused, keep working on it. It takes time, it takes work, but never stop believing in yourself and the things that you are capable of.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As an energy industry, things are always shifting. You hear good and bad things about it. But you have to always keep supporting and be an advocate of your industry, your company, making sure that people are informed so they don't get misinformed. Those are the challenges. As far as opportunities, it's an industry that's not going to go anywhere. We always need energy, some way or another. I would just say for anybody that's interested in joining that field, get educated and take advantage of the opportunities that are there.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think never change who you are. One of the struggles that I encountered when I stepped into leadership was how do I manage this without stopping being who I am, or changing. Sometimes you are asked to do things or say things that you're not comfortable with. So just be authentic. I think when you're authentic and you're honest, things play in your favor, and if they don't at the beginning, everything falls in place one way or another. Never feel bad for who you are and for doing what you believe is the right thing. Also, spending time with my family is important because my family is the number one priority for me.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Illinois
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.