Sometimes you just have to talk to someone...

Sometimes you just have to talk to someone...

Labels: My life / RBW Spotlight

So as some of you know, for the past couple of months I have really been dealing with a lot at my job. Feeling unappreciated, feeling as if I've paid my dues but moving to that next level was never going to happen, considering just leaving the company and starting all over somewhere else, tired of being underpaid. Being put in a box because I am a young, ambitious, African American female, that is a go-getter working in an industry where I am a double-minority and trying to make changes that seem to be impossible.

Then I came across an article about Stephanie Stepp. She has her own sports radio show in New York and in the article it talked about how she started out in television and in the article talked about the struggles she had with trying to be an on-air talent in television. For those that work in this industry, you have to have a certain look, sound, everything to get a break in TV. She then turned to radio and said it was the best decision she's ever made and that it propelled her career a lot faster than television would have.

I have never been a fan of things like therapy, going and spilling your business to someone and them analyzing a situation they know absolutely nothing about; but I do feel there is a certain solace, at least for me, with talking to someone about it who has been in a similar situation. (Career-wise anyway, I rarely take relationship advice)

Luckily this industry is extremely small, and I actually knew someone who knows her. So I get her email and send her a note, both wanting to talk to her about being a young African American Female working in the sports industry, as well as profile her for my sports blog. She responded with her phone number and we arranged a time to speak on the phone. We ended up talking for about an hour. I am so happy I had the chance to talk to her. She made me put everything into perspective. She made me realize that so many people would kill to be in the situation I am in right now and that its not that bad. I have a boss that believes in me and that is trying to help me make the best career move for me at this stage in my life. I havent had to go threw that terribly long entry level stage where all your doing is getting coffee and such for high level executives. I mean I have went threw the being an assistant circuit but had the pleasure of working for some great bosses during that time. One of which is still a good friend and mentor of mine. I have made a lot of incredible contacts, and I have accomplished more in my 5 years working in the crazy entertainment industry than some people have well in their 30's. She reassured me that I am on track to do great things and that at 26 I should be more patient. She let me know that if I really want to work in this industry and survive that I have to suck it up sometimes, and deal with things, or leave and start my own business. That's just the reality of it. With Ms. Stepp having over 10 years experience in this industry I took everything she said to heart.

If you want to read the interview I did with her you can go HERE...

I recently wrote my boss a letter thanks to the advice of some fellow bloggers as well as my mentor telling him the disappointments I was having in my career path there. We are currently figuring things out, so I am a lot more optimistic about my future at the company. So wish me luck that the advancement I am looking for comes to fruition???