Fitting In....

As a woman in this male dominated field, I used to wrestle with "fitting in". At some points it actually consumed me, and instead of helping me move forward, made me take a few steps back. Now that I've been in the field (formally) for eight years, I have found I don't concern myself with what my colleagues think about me as much anymore. I think as women, we tend to burden ourselves with the perceptions of other people far more than men do. I'm not sure I will ever be rid of the doubts, but I have learned to find strength in those doubts. If I don't feel comfortable on a given topic, I learn more, or I find someone who knows more so I can have a resource at hand.

The longer I am in the field, the more confident I become in my skills and abilities. The more confident I become, the less I concern myself with others perceptions. That is not to say it isn't important to receive feedback, or even stumble and fall sometimes. I think feedback is crucial, and learning to receive it gracefully, well, that is another topic I'll take on at another time.

Mentorship. Find one. Male or Female. Colleague or friend. The largest amount of professional growth for me has occurred under the guidance of a mentor. Your mentor should ideally work in the same field/industry, and should be able to make time for you on a consistent basis. You will not regret it. Try it out: http://mentornet.net/