Her Story
About Patricia
I've worked in administrative support my entire career, starting when I was 18 years old. I spent 20 years at Goldman Sachs, which was my favorite place to work and my longest position. I worked in a lot of different departments there, and I had wonderful mentors who taught me so much. Before Goldman, I managed a Burger King and worked at what's now called Towers Watson (it was Towers Perrin) for almost 10 years. After being laid off from Goldman, I went back to school and took on several different roles - I worked as a registrar at an inpatient rehab, worked with children and families at a firm called Jack in Newburgh, and eventually became a home health aide, taking care of my mother-in-law until she passed. I haven't been in the workforce since 2009 because I've been battling cancer for 12 years. Throughout my career, I learned that support staff are the backbone of any organization - we may not always be seen, but without us, the people on top wouldn't be there. I've had bosses tell me they wouldn't be where they are without me, and that's something I'm really proud of.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Patricia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to having great mentors throughout my career. The last boss I had at Goldman was a huge mentor for me - he was really a good man. Another woman I worked for there was a partner, and she's retired now, but she was another big mentor, and we still communicate and see each other. Even though I'm not working anymore, she's still a big mentor and a person I can look up to. I've known her since 1990 when I met her, and I've known George since 2000, so they were both big mentors for me, and I'm still in communication with both of them. When you find a good mentor, don't let go of that person - they make all the difference.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was actually from my mother when I was in middle school going into high school. I remember I told her I was going to take a typing class, and she said to me, if you can't do anything else in your life, if you can type, you will always have a job. And she was right. That advice has stayed with me my entire career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women to always try to just do your best, and if you don't know, ask. Always ask questions. People are afraid to ask, and you know, we all make mistakes, and own it. When I made a mistake, if I did something wrong, I owned it. Then you fix it, and then you move on, you learn. Learn from your mistakes. And find a good mentor - when you find a good mentor, don't let go of that person. I've known my mentors Mary since 1990 and George since 2000, and they were both big mentors for me, and I'm still in communication with both of them.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I saw in my field was that a lot of people who did what I did were not willing to go that extra mile. Everybody is not willing to do what's necessary - they're just not willing to go that extra mile. And you know, it's really not that far to go that extra mile. Sometimes it's easier to go the extra mile. I always did that, so I just didn't understand when other people didn't do it. For me, that was a challenge. I just think that if you're gonna do it, be your best at it. Do it right.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Ethics is everything to me - it's all about ethics. It's about being honest. Because if you can't - if somebody can't depend on you and be comfortable knowing that you're going to take care of what you need to take care of, do what you need to do, there's no sense in even bothering. It's important to have good communication. You have to communicate clearly and pay attention to detail. I did really well when I was working. I learned that your support system is who you are - if you don't have a good support system, you're gonna fall. Being able to rely on someone and know that they're gonna do what they're supposed to do, and you don't have to worry about it, that you can go to sleep at night knowing it's taken care of - that's what matters most.
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