My career path has been somewhat…circuitous. I started out in banking, and after a decade moved to property management. After eight years progressing into leadership roles in that industry, I made the decision to move into staffing where I am very happily continuing to grow and be challenged in my role with Allegis Global Solutions.
In most of my professional roles, assimilation was an expectation. From dress codes to performance reviews it was clear that the goal was to remove as much individuality as possible from our presentations at work. As a person who loves color and authenticity and the individual expression (for myself and definitely from others), this type of environment has always chaffed a little. While it never prevented me from doing a great job in my roles, I definitely didn’t feel free as a person.
I was also in largely male-dominated cultures, particularly among my leadership. As a younger woman in banking, I watched as the women I respected moved into higher leadership roles began to fall into one of two categories. They would either begin to take on more culturally male characteristics and interests in order to better “network” in environments they would have previously avoided, or they became isolated in their roles, often losing out on important opportunities and being coached to “play the game.”
As I matured and moved on to find a better-fitted career trajectory, I made the choice to prioritize environments that encouraged a more holistic approach to the individual’s strengths and abilities to contribute. When I came out as pansexual and panromantic in 2015, I was fortunate to be in a role that encouraged such authenticity and knew at that point I never wanted to go back.
Note that these experiences are from the perspective of a white, cis-gender woman with no known neurodivergences, a diagnosis of persistent dysthymia, and stress-induced anxiety. I am in my mid-forties and have experienced some health concerns over the past five years that I am in process of remedying. Each and every one of these descriptors impacts how I show up in the world, and each combination of these characteristics adds a layer of complexity. In any given work scenario, some of these characteristics may play a larger role in how I need to manage my presentation and how I navigate that situation.
Thanks to the efforts of companies like Getting Hired and AGS, I can very proudly say that I am free to bring my entire, authentic self into my workplace every single day. From small things like displaying my pronouns in my email signature to help normalize doing so to more significant freedoms like being able to confidently referring to my soon-to-be-wife without fear of backlash I am proud to be part of my company. And after years of trying to cram myself into molds that would minimize or completely erase significant aspects of who I am, I can honestly say I do my best work today because I can bring all of me to the table.
This is my journey into PRIDE. I hope you find yours as well.
