Salene Riggins
My degree from University of Michigan is Integrative Studies with a concentration in marketing, psychology, leadership and communication in organizations. Reflecting back on when I decided to choose this major I did not think of gender expectations because I selected these three concentrations to develop my leadership potential, grow in my empathy and understanding of people, and to use technology effectively to market my future notary business.
I was raised to believe that I could be anything I wanted to be with hard work and dedication. My eyes are on my prize to success and the obstacles I may face I will tackle individually. I am aware that occupations are socially constructed to suggest that it’s a man’s job for example, construction workers or a woman’s job for example, a nurse. Personally, I believe a woman can do anything a man can do and a man can do anything a woman can do when choosing an occupation.
On my career journey I have experienced gender job segregation. In previous positions I have held the employer practiced filling positions in upper management with mostly white male employees. I noticed this practice when we would have company meetings and I would only see white men facilitating the meetings and introducing other white men in upper management roles. I realized that I would not be able to grow in my leadership potential working there, so I ended up resigning after some time because I frequently would see qualified women get passed over on promotions. I have learned that work experiences are shaped by class, race, gender, sexuality and age. I think employers perpetuate the discrimination by hiring only men for masculine jobs and only women for feminine jobs instead of hiring who is best qualified for that role.
I have been vigilant in looking out for gender job discrimination to pivot and try to avoid or creatively overcome those barriers in my career. In order to leave a legacy for my family the birth of Kace Mobile Notary LLC became reality after realizing gender job discrimination is a problem in the workplace that will not be resolved in my lifetime. Under federal law gender discrimination in which an employee is treated unfairly or different is illegal, yet it happens frequently to women and especially to women with children. Studies show that women have fewer leadership prospects in the workplace while men secure greater leadership opportunities. I decided to be a leader and develop my own leadership opportunities.
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