![Part One of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women in Media President Erin M Fuller on Finding Careers and Mentors.
Erin M. Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): Describe your first “real” job.
EMF: I did high- end fundraising for nonprofits around special events. Think movie premieres, fundraisers, black tie galas… I worked for a firm in DC to execute and manage everything around those events.
It was an exciting time – it was right when the Clintons had come into office in DC. There were a lot of progressive organizations that saw this as a great opportunity to raise money on good causes – in particular, I remember Rock the Vote and other election-related initiatives. It was a terrific experience to actually get to attend some of these events as a young person, but I had to wear black tie dresses 4 out of 7 nights a week!
L(L): What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on careers?
EMF: I have to say I’ve been very lucky in the opportunities I’ve had access to. I wasn’t afraid to go for positions with the highest amount of responsibility and I tried not to focus solely on money – a good strategy if you plan to work with nonprofits! In school, I always was that person who would want to run for class office, or be an RA – I sought opportunities for leadership. But when I got out of school, I saw that some of my friends had higher starting salaries than I did and I had to appreciate that the decisions I made were the right ones for me.
If you have a decision between two jobs, think beyond the money and prestige. Take the job that gives you the biggest opportunities for growth, responsibility and leadership. When you are 30 or 40, those are the jobs that will make your resume stand out. While everyone else took the safe job working at the big firm, you worked your way up to 2nd in command at a ten-person organization and got to travel to 17 countries, etc. - that will distinguish you among others.
I realize it’s a hard time for jobs right now. I admire people who can find the best opportunity in a bad situation. You shouldn’t shy away from the unconventional choice or the harder choice – it pays dividends in the future.
L(L): Who are your role models and mentors? How have those relationships helped shape your career?
EMF: At this point in my career, there are many women and men I look up to I was recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives, an organization of thousands of organizational and nonprofit leaders. Each year around 100 Fellows have an annual retreat and that opportunity to sit around with people who have similar positions and responsibilities is tremendously valuable.
The thing about formal mentorship programs is that sometimes they don’t feel very organic. Sometime it feels a little bit like a blind date. Sometimes those relationships are successful and sometimes they’re not. Of course you shouldn’t just rely on these programs - I think that you have to take advantage of relationships with people you meet that feel like natural relationships. Often you can speak more freely with people who don’t work within your organization. I would encourage people to go outside established mentoring programs.
L(L): So, on that note, what advice would you give Levo Ladies about finding and building a relationship with a mentor? What can they do to make that relationship feel more organic and rewarding for mentors?
EMF: Be aware of her preferences: For instance, if she doesn’t like being called a mentor formally, recognize and work around that.
Don’t meet in her office. Get out of her workspace. It’s hard to have an honest conversation about something that’s so important and personal as your career when it feels like you’re just doing another meeting, when she’s penciled you in for 15 minutes on her calendar, and her computer and phone are sources of interruption.
Come prepared — With questions, with samples of your work, and with 2 or 3 things you want to get out of the meeting.
A lot of people come in looking for job offers or recommendations, and that’s okay. You don’t need to shy away from that. If you’ve had a good conversation with someone and asked all the right questions, it’s perfectly fine to say “I saw this job and it seems like a great opportunity. Do you think I would be a good fit for it?”
Above all – if there’s a specific thing you’re looking for, don’t wait for the mentor to bring it up. I think a lot of people have this expectation that mentors will run the show – but often mentors are busy and the reality is you need to take the bull by the horns and structure that conversation so you get the outcome that you really want.
L(L): What is one piece of advice you would give to young women starting their careers?
EMF: Something I’ve had to learn for myself is – when you’re ready to look for your next job, often you’re really looking at what you don’t want to do anymore versus what you do want to do.
I had always assumed it would be the opposite – that you would be searching for that perfect fit of what you want. But, after you’ve had your first one or two jobs, I think the reality is that you learn: “I don’t want to have to answer the phone 80% of the time. I don’t want to have to be the person managing logistics for others. I want to be the one who gets to travel and own my work.”
That’s been very helpful. When I think about what’s next, I think about what I don’t ever want to do again and what I want to make sure is included in the next opportunity. Sometimes the stuff we don’t want to do can suck everything away. When considering each new job, thinking about what skills and abilities you don’t want to do on a daily basis is a good way to ensure you’ll be happy in your next endeavor.
One other thing. Just as we know in the media industry, image is everything. Women always have more work to do to build, create, and maintain their image than men do, as ridiculous as that is. That’s challenging. Something I’d stress to young women today is, just how water cooler gossip could sink someone’s career 10 or 20 years ago, today everyone has their own online brand. Some fun picture of you doing keg stands during some night in college night may have more impact on you than male colleagues. Women have to be particularly vigilant about their personal brand online – what they post, what they tweet. People should be very careful about how they maintain their personal brand.
[Editor’s Note: For any Levo Leaguers in media, make sure to visit Alliance for Women in Media. AWM has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyzgtoWJKB1rnojvoo1_250.jpg)
Part One of Three: L(L) Speaks with Alliance for Women in Media President Erin M Fuller on Finding Careers and Mentors.
Erin M. Fuller is the President of the Alliance for Women in Media, the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. With nearly 10,000 community members, the Alliance for Women in Media represents men and women engaged in creating high-quality media and harnessing the power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change.
Ms. Fuller is on the advisory board for the Women in Politics Institute at American University and is the President of the American University Alumni Association Executive Board. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and teaches as a guest lecturer on non-profit management at American University.
Prior to joining the Alliance for Women in Media, Ms. Fuller previously served as the executive director for Tysons Tomorrow and as the chief staff executive for the National Association of Women Business Owners.
L(L): Describe your first “real” job.
EMF: I did high- end fundraising for nonprofits around special events. Think movie premieres, fundraisers, black tie galas… I worked for a firm in DC to execute and manage everything around those events.
It was an exciting time – it was right when the Clintons had come into office in DC. There were a lot of progressive organizations that saw this as a great opportunity to raise money on good causes – in particular, I remember Rock the Vote and other election-related initiatives. It was a terrific experience to actually get to attend some of these events as a young person, but I had to wear black tie dresses 4 out of 7 nights a week!
L(L): What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned on careers?
EMF: I have to say I’ve been very lucky in the opportunities I’ve had access to. I wasn’t afraid to go for positions with the highest amount of responsibility and I tried not to focus solely on money – a good strategy if you plan to work with nonprofits! In school, I always was that person who would want to run for class office, or be an RA – I sought opportunities for leadership. But when I got out of school, I saw that some of my friends had higher starting salaries than I did and I had to appreciate that the decisions I made were the right ones for me.
If you have a decision between two jobs, think beyond the money and prestige. Take the job that gives you the biggest opportunities for growth, responsibility and leadership. When you are 30 or 40, those are the jobs that will make your resume stand out. While everyone else took the safe job working at the big firm, you worked your way up to 2nd in command at a ten-person organization and got to travel to 17 countries, etc. - that will distinguish you among others.
I realize it’s a hard time for jobs right now. I admire people who can find the best opportunity in a bad situation. You shouldn’t shy away from the unconventional choice or the harder choice – it pays dividends in the future.
L(L): Who are your role models and mentors? How have those relationships helped shape your career?
EMF: At this point in my career, there are many women and men I look up to I was recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives, an organization of thousands of organizational and nonprofit leaders. Each year around 100 Fellows have an annual retreat and that opportunity to sit around with people who have similar positions and responsibilities is tremendously valuable.
The thing about formal mentorship programs is that sometimes they don’t feel very organic. Sometime it feels a little bit like a blind date. Sometimes those relationships are successful and sometimes they’re not. Of course you shouldn’t just rely on these programs - I think that you have to take advantage of relationships with people you meet that feel like natural relationships. Often you can speak more freely with people who don’t work within your organization. I would encourage people to go outside established mentoring programs.
L(L): So, on that note, what advice would you give Levo Ladies about finding and building a relationship with a mentor? What can they do to make that relationship feel more organic and rewarding for mentors?
EMF: Be aware of her preferences: For instance, if she doesn’t like being called a mentor formally, recognize and work around that.
Don’t meet in her office. Get out of her workspace. It’s hard to have an honest conversation about something that’s so important and personal as your career when it feels like you’re just doing another meeting, when she’s penciled you in for 15 minutes on her calendar, and her computer and phone are sources of interruption.
Come prepared — With questions, with samples of your work, and with 2 or 3 things you want to get out of the meeting.
A lot of people come in looking for job offers or recommendations, and that’s okay. You don’t need to shy away from that. If you’ve had a good conversation with someone and asked all the right questions, it’s perfectly fine to say “I saw this job and it seems like a great opportunity. Do you think I would be a good fit for it?”
Above all – if there’s a specific thing you’re looking for, don’t wait for the mentor to bring it up. I think a lot of people have this expectation that mentors will run the show – but often mentors are busy and the reality is you need to take the bull by the horns and structure that conversation so you get the outcome that you really want.
L(L): What is one piece of advice you would give to young women starting their careers?
EMF: Something I’ve had to learn for myself is – when you’re ready to look for your next job, often you’re really looking at what you don’t want to do anymore versus what you do want to do.
I had always assumed it would be the opposite – that you would be searching for that perfect fit of what you want. But, after you’ve had your first one or two jobs, I think the reality is that you learn: “I don’t want to have to answer the phone 80% of the time. I don’t want to have to be the person managing logistics for others. I want to be the one who gets to travel and own my work.”
That’s been very helpful. When I think about what’s next, I think about what I don’t ever want to do again and what I want to make sure is included in the next opportunity. Sometimes the stuff we don’t want to do can suck everything away. When considering each new job, thinking about what skills and abilities you don’t want to do on a daily basis is a good way to ensure you’ll be happy in your next endeavor.
One other thing. Just as we know in the media industry, image is everything. Women always have more work to do to build, create, and maintain their image than men do, as ridiculous as that is. That’s challenging. Something I’d stress to young women today is, just how water cooler gossip could sink someone’s career 10 or 20 years ago, today everyone has their own online brand. Some fun picture of you doing keg stands during some night in college night may have more impact on you than male colleagues. Women have to be particularly vigilant about their personal brand online – what they post, what they tweet. People should be very careful about how they maintain their personal brand.
[Editor’s Note: For any Levo Leaguers in media, make sure to visit Alliance for Women in Media. AWM has free community membership and weekly news briefs on career progress for women in media.]
