beginnings
how I got started | I've always wanted to write, from the time I
was a little girl. When I was a teenager, my teachers thought I might
become a journalist. I went in a different direction - I thought about
becoming a lawyer or a diplomat. My first job out of university was at
the Canadian Consulate General in New York. I then moved into strategic
communications/investor relations, and years later, the woman who hired
me to work at the Consulate came to me about working for her company,
Resources Global. She told me they needed a business writer. I knew very
little about accounting or finance, which is the practice area I focus
on, so the learning curve was steep, but I have grown into the role.
It's nice to wake up every morning and look forward to going to the
office.
On the personal side, I have been writing creatively for a long time and
I am presently working on a novel. In a way, getting started as a
writer wasn't really a choice - the drive to do it has always been with
me, for as long as I can remember, and it has been impossible to ignore.
inspiration
why this job?| Writing is what I love to do. I also enjoy helping
people communicate and enabling them to see the strategic value of
communications. Contributing these skills in a business environment has
been gratifying.
love
why I love this job!| The diversity and talent of the people I
work with, the fast pace and our corporate culture. The founder of
Resources says you need TIEL or "Talent, Integrity, Enthusiasm and
Loyalty" to work here, and it's true. I work with recruiters and client
service directors in six offices across the Tri-State region and
everyone here is as passionate about their work as I am about mine. We
operate as a team, and there is a great deal of respect and trust among
us. If I have worked on a document that helps us win business, it is
satisfying to feel that I have contributed. It is also interesting to
see what my co-workers are doing, and how they think about the business.
They work from a much different perspective than I do and operate from
different skillsets.
work
my typical day| I think the best part is, there isn't a typical
day here. I never really know what I'm going to be doing: I might work
on a rush document that needs to be turned around in an hour or two, a
proposal, marketing materials or a communications plan. There is a
stable base of work every day, but there are also surprises, which help
me stretch my skills.
challenges
what they are | Even though I am in an internal role within my
company, I think of the people I work with as my clients. Every day I
want to feel like I am producing my best work and helping them do their
best for our clients and our consultants.
Other than that, it is a challenge to balance everything as a working
mother of three-year-old twins. I was freelancing and working on my
novel manuscript when the twins were babies; I don't think I could have
come back to a full-time position away from home unless I knew it was
something I would really love. It also makes a difference that the
corporate culture here supports a work-life balance.
upside
all about growth | I think that there is a great deal of
opportunity for people with talent in communications. Even though many
communications positions have been cut in this environment, companies
still need to communicate effectively both internally and externally.
The key is to completely understand your skillset and be open to new
opportunities. Network. Sometimes the best jobs find you, not the other
way around.
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