Assignment:
Complete the following requirements:
You will need to do research and find someone who has a different personal narrative than your own. This person does not have to be well known, but you will need to find a resource that allows you to discover substantial information about the individual's life experience so you can compare and contrast it to you own.
Look to discover someone who has had a different life experience than your own. You will then need to compare and contrast what differences and similarities that you are able to identify in a written essay and address the following:
• What differences does this individual have in comparison to your own? How might these differences influence the perspectives or viewpoints this person might have? Do you see any similarities even though you both have had different experiences?
• What drew you to the person you choose for this assignment? Is there something unique that you identify with in their personal narrative? Why did you choose them?
• Are there any similarities that you can identify in comparison to your own personal narrative?
• What can you learn about your own personal narrative through the understanding of someone else's?
• How does reading and analyzing these perspectives help you grow in your perspective of others? If readings these perspectives do not help you grow in this way, you are welcome to address reasons for this lack of growth instead.
o This should be completed in a minimum of 500-words.
Stereotypes and Barriers to Critical Thinking
The stereotype that I have chosen to discus in my personal life is "bias" and by that I am talking about my challenges of woman in the workforce and in leadership roles. I am 33 years old and I have been everything but your "typical" female. Growing up I never played with Barbie's nor did I want to stay inside and help mom cook. I wanted to play G.I. Joe's with my brother and work on cars with my dad. This was hard for many to understand. I spent a lot of lonely nights wondering why people would make fun of me for being myself. I never let anyone see that their remarks bothered me except for my best friend. He was 10-pound dashhound that knew all my secrets and held all my tears.
My father was hero, he could no wrong in my eyes, I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. He is a forklift mechanic, I knew that I wanted to work with my hands and provide for a family just like he has always done. I went to a vocational school and took Auto Body and Collision, I loved it. I received my certificate and started applying for jobs. I at that time realized, not only do I not have experience, I am a female trying to to work in, what most would call a "mans' field. After long attempts and several dead ends, I went back for Auto Technology at the Vocational school. I received my certificate and yet again received the same results as before.
I started to think why? Why aren't these employers calling me back? Yes, I know that I do not have experience but I am straight from school, people are always looking for young fresh minds wanting to learn. Now, I start wondering is it not only that I am a female trying to make a profession in a what most call a "mans" profession but is that I am a lesbian too? So, after all this training and long hours of dedication I had decided to try a different route, I tried to become a forklift mechanic like my father. I went to his work and filled an application and his boss told me that that the only position that they had available was a payroll clerk/receptionist. I thought to myself, take it you need the money and it's a foot in the door. I thought I could learn everything about forklifts and move to the shop as a mechanic. I was wrong!
I was there for about one and half years when I realized that I was going to ever become the technician I had set my mind to be at this company. The had just kept giving me more and more clerical things to do. Come to fine out with my mechanical background I could read the technician work order and know what they were talking about, as to were no other office personal could. This is what made me stick out, I had others coming to me and asking me questions when I had only been with the company for two years and they had been there for ten. I had made the decision to start my journey at Herzing and get my Associates in Business Management. I worked full time, went to school and raised my family with the expectations that I would succeed. I continued to learn all I could at my career and it paid off.
I graduated with my associates degree and right after a position came open for a Field Service Supervisor. This is position supervising 15 technicians and is very fast paced. I applied against several other candidates, thinking once again I wouldn't get because I am a female and I work with 95% men. At this time, I have now worked for the company for six years. I went through the interview process and I was offered the position. I at first received some kick back from the technicians as what could I possibly know about things but I had to stand my ground. Prove to not only those that I was supervising but to myself and my bosses that I was the right fit for the position. It had nothing to do with me being a woman, I could do this job and I know the job as good as any other person could have.
Looking back, I realized that I could have done things differently and stood tall for what I wanted. When I believed that employers where not choosing me because of race or my gender, I could have made more of an impression on them and went in and checked on my resume, asked if I could show them any of my work? I can say that even though I have had a lot of stereotyping in my life at me it has made me who I am today. I am a strong, educated, independent woman and I have a role in leadership in my workplace. It has taken me a long time and a hard road but I wouldn't change anything.
References
Sandberg, S. (2010). Why we have too few women leaders.