At the end of 2010, I found myself back in Charlotte. I had no money, no job prospects, and degrees many deemed irrelevant. I had quit my PhD program abroad in Roman archaeology and the economy at home was suffering. Add to that my lack of experience in the business world. I worked while I was in school, just not in professional settings (I nannied, cleaned houses, and worked as a CAP aid for people with autism). This wouldn’t have been an issue if I had stayed in academia. But to the outside world, my resume lacked elements that screamed, “Hire me!”
2011 saw me working more odd jobs. I was labeled either overqualified due to my education or underqualified due to my work history. No one was willing to give me a chance to start a career. Finally, I heard about a temporary receptionist position at Management inSites (MI). I was intrigued by the work they were doing with European companies. I felt like my life experiences might make up for the weaknesses others perceived on my resume. So, I wrote a stellar cover letter, sent in my application, and crossed my fingers.
I later learned that the office staff screened the resumes and mine was clearly tossed in the “No” pile. The CEO at the time, Claudio Carpano, started with that pile. He read my resume and wanted to interview me to the utter shock of the rest of the team. Why in the world would he want to hire an archaeologist, they asked. However, my cover letter told him I could write well, and he valued my degrees in the humanities, surprisingly. You see, he started life as a PhD student in philosophy before transitioning to the business world himself. He could tell I was a critical thinker eager to learn and he was a leader willing to teach.
I went above and beyond in the temp role before I took a full-time position at a local nonprofit. But two years later, I found myself at lunch with a friend when my old boss at Management inSites walked in. He wanted to know how I was doing and when he heard I had left my nonprofit position, he jumped at the opportunity to welcome me back to MI. It has been almost 9 years and I haven’t looked back. I am currently the VP of Marketing for the firm and serve on two boards within the community. And I love the work we do – we help companies protect their legacies, enlarge Charlotte’s international community, and provide local jobs at a variety of levels.
As we have learned in our EBL program, everyone’s leadership journey is different, but we all have ups and downs. We have also seen how hiring practices often still discriminate against women and people of color. I am lucky that someone saw my potential and gave me a chance when so many others wouldn’t. Through the skills I have learned and my own internal drive, I’ve proven him right and have become an asset to the organization and the community. I challenge everyone to stop and reevaluate their “No” pile. Which potential leaders are you dismissing?
