26 career tips for teen girls

Career advice from the women of In Their Shoes

www.debbiereber.com

Featuring Senator Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pearl, Maura Tierney, Shonda Rhimes, Melissa Block, Kamala Harris, and more...

“You have to love acting. I think a lot of people perceive it as glamorous, which it can be. But those trappings should not be the reason why someone wants to get into this field, because again, it’s hard work. If you’re in it just for the celebrity, I think there’s less of a chance of enjoying a long or satisfying career.”

Maura Tierney, actor

{Actor}

“Make it up. All of the great career niches out there have been created by someone! And surround yourself with friends and family who say yes to your dreams and validate your vision.”

Jess Weiner, social messaging strategist, www.jessweiner.com

{Social Message Strategist}

“Take coursework in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, and forensic statistics, and be sure that you’re emotionally able to handle the graphic nature of a crime scene.”

Joanne Sgueglia, forensic scientist

{Forensic Scientist}

“Take more risks. That’s it...just take more risks.”

Missy Park, founder of Title 9 Sports

{Entrepreneur}

“The best thing you can do to strengthen your writing is to read as much as possible...to have a huge knowledge base of literature in all of its forms. I spent my entire childhood living in books, and I feel like that was one thing that really helped me.”

Shonda Rhimes, creator of How to Get Away with Murder, Scandal, and Grey’s Anatomy

{TV Show Creator}

“I never skipped one step. I learned a lot by watching, and it’s a perfectly fine way to progress, to not have your career miss a step and to not become overly impatient along the way. You need to have a sense of faith that if you stick it out there is a chance that it really can happen for you.”

Alli Shearmur, movie studio executive

{Movie Studio Executive}

“The advice I would give to young women, whether they aspire to a law career or otherwise, is to own your power. Know your value and your potential. Don’t be afraid of it, don’t be intimidated by it, and certainly don’t deny it.”

Kamala Harris, former District Attorney, current Attorney General for California

{District Attorney}

“Take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously.”

Nancy Pearl, librarian and author

{Librarian}

“Always make sure you enjoy what you’re doing. You spend an awful lot of your life working, and if you love what you do, it doesn’t really feel like work. For a career in science, it’s important to do well in school. Take your studies seriously and get into the best college or university that you can.”

Dr. Nancy Knowlton, Sant Chair for Marine Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

{Marine Biologist}

“Learn to look at art—training your eye is the fundamental skill that will sustain a curatorial career. When looking, always ask why. Why did the artist put that color there? How would the painting change if he hadn’t? How does the background contribute to a portrait?”

Chiyo Ishikawa, Deputy Director of Art, Seattle Art Museum

{Museum Curator}

“No matter what field you want to pursue, you need to cultivate your people skills and your networking skills. Even for accounting, you really need to be able to relate to your co-workers, deal with the clients, deal with the vendors. It’s an important part of working life for anybody.”

Jayne Morgan, CPA

{Accountant}

“More than ever right now we need female voices, so don’t be afraid to speak out. I think that one of the most important roles that youth can play is to raise all hell about what is happening to our future.”

Severn Cullis-Suzuki, environment and culture activist and author

{Environmentalist}

“Don’t give up. It’s very hard work and it’s very hard to get into vet school. So persist, and work really hard to get good grades. It’s a very rewarding, wonderful career, so just go forward and try it out.”

Anke Langenbach, veterinary surgeon

{Veterinarian}

“Don’t let anybody set limitations on what you can do. When I first started playing, nobody thought I could do anything on the professional level because I was small and I hadn’t made a big name for myself in indoor volleyball. But I believed in myself, I studied the sport, I watched, I trained as hard as I possibly could, and I followed my dreams.”

Holly McPeak, (retired) professional volleyball player

{Professional Athlete}

“You need to stay curious and keep actively learning every day. No book, school, or person will ever teach you everything you need to know. Ask questions, follow by example, and find your own solutions.”

Kelly McCarthy Fitzgerald, video game programmer

{Video Game Programmer}

“Become a good writer—it’s really important in this line of work. Get involved in the community that you want to work with as much as you can. If you want to work with actors, take a drama class so you can understand better what an actor goes through.”

Cindy Guagenti, publicist

{Publicist}

“Believe in your own power and intelligence, and at the same time, be open to learning from others. Architecture is a profoundly complex field and you’ll always be learning, but people will be looking to you to have a clear vision and they’ll value your opinion. Keep your eye sharp and trust your instincts.”

Heather Johnston, architect and principal, PLACE Architects

{Architect}

“Get in there and do the grunt work. Start as a dishwasher, be a prep cook, work in the kitchen—really try to experience it. Even though the work that you do over time might change, the hours and the commitment are the same, so you have to be passionate about it.”

Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger, Chefs and owners, Border Grill

{Chef}

“Be someone nothing is lost on. Take everything, be a good observer, and write like crazy. Keep a journal and learn your voice. Read like crazy. Read authors whose writing you feel passionate about and figure out why their writing resonates with you.”

Melissa Block, co-host All Things Considered, NPR

{Journalist}

“Don’t write screenplays. Not yet. The screenplay form is so full of mechanics that it’s almost impossible to find your voice as a writer within it. So write something else, anything else—poems, letters, stories. Eventually you’ll feel your way to who you are as a writer.”

Susannah Grant, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Erin Brockovich

{Screenwriter}

“Find an issue that you care about deep in your heart. If the issue is children, then map out a way to build coalitions to help our children. Once you build coalitions, show leadership by bringing everyone in and not being afraid to say what you think. Your skills will be noted, and eventually you will become a natural candidate for public office—starting at the local level.”

Barbara Boxer, U.S. Senator, California

{Senator}

“Yes, there is competition out there and there are many people going for the same position, but that doesn’t mean you’re not going to be the one selected. Aim to be as helpful as you can be—think of the job as ‘here’s what I can do for you’ as opposed to ‘here’s what I want to get from this job.’”

Susan Schulz, editorial executive, Hearst Magazines

{Magazine Editor}

“Get to know the city or community that you’re in, and spend time paying attention to how a city runs—that might be seeing what your neighborhood association has gone on or attending community meetings around big development projects.’”

Anne Corbett, urban planner

{Urban Planner}

“You have to ‘do.’ Yoga is a life of action and it’s really about integrating your whole life around a yoga lifestyle and listening to your inner self. Don’t allow others to dissuade you if you believe being a movement instructor is your true path. Stay focused on your desire, and the life practice of this art form will be your teacher and your companion.’”

Miriam Kramer, yoga instructor

{Yoga Instructor}

“You have to realize that you’re committing to making people’s careers move along beyond where they are when they first come to you. So you have to take that obligation seriously. I always tell people that if you get into this business to make a lot of money, you never will. It’s about having enough of a commitment to your clients that you can continue to move their projects forward.”

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, owner and CEO, The Gotham Group

{Talent Agent}

“Come to work each day with a positive attitude and a purpose. Never forget why you’re there—for the kids. They need you. You have one of the most important jobs in the world! Be a lifelong learner, a hard worker, and a great example for your students.”

Becca Wertheim, 2nd grade teacher

{Teacher}

To find out more about In Their Shoes: Extraordinary Women Describe their Amazing Careers and download a PDF of this slideshow, visit www.debbiereber.com.

{all quotes © Deborah Reber, In Their Shoes}