Our Fearless Leaders Transition from Being Women at War to Women at Work
Today we honor those who have fallen while serving our country.
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
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The US department of Veteran Affairs confirms the disproportionate ratio of men to women in the military and shares eye-opening facts and statistics of the challenges women veterans encounter after they serve our country. Because we care about gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace, we spoke with three women veterans to see what has helped some of our fearless leaders transition from being women at war to women at work.
Just like with gender diversity, there are companies making great strides to increase veteran employment in the workplace. However, since women veterans are less likely to be employed, it's essential to hear directly from those working now. Our hope is that more women veterans find employment and that companies will implement appropriate support during their transition.
Here is what these women have to say:
What's the biggest challenge you've faced at Raytheon and how did you overcome it?
"The biggest challenge I faced was the transition from military to corporate aerospace and defense culture. I mistakenly assumed that the cultures (acronyms, terminology, processes, hierarchy etc.) would be similar and I didn't realize what a steep learning curve I faced. I came from a situation where I was experienced and knew what I was doing and transitioned into a very unfamiliar environment. Change is scary and so I struggled at first, but then I realized that it was fine to accept that I didn't have all the answers and that I was new and needed to learn. Fortunately there are lots of people here at Raytheon who wanted to help me learn, grow and be successful!"
—Deborah, Veteran.
More From Raytheon:
"At Raytheon, we place an emphasis on diversity, inclusion and opportunities for all employees. One of the coolest things that Raytheon does is demonstrate that commitment to all women. There are five women directors on our board and four female vice presidents on the company's senior leadership team. In addition to those roles, there are women serving as vice presidents, senior managers, directors and several other leadership positions that number in the thousands. It's important that we talk the talk, but it's really cool to work for a company that walks the walk."
What do you miss about working in the military?
"When I was in the military, I wore a rank and occupational badge that let people know off the bat what I did and where I was in the Organizational food chain. Because of that, there was an automatic sense of deference that I received when it came to giving my opinion or ideas. However, when I took the uniform off, all people see now is a baby face and girl. Even though I am 31, I am still referred to as young lady and I have to battle my way through to be granted respect and a voice at the table. I sometimes miss the uniform because it showed my experience and expertise before I even opened my mouth."
—Jardin, USAF Veteran.
What's the coolest thing your company does to support women veterans?
"We offer a program called the "Heal Program" that heals a Veteran before they get into a crisis. We focus on healthcare, evacuation, advocacy and legislature. No Veteran gets left behind. We resolve issues concerning homelessness, unemployment, benefits, and suicides. However, the biggest problem I face is being one of a few female Veteran Executives. I'm usually the only woman at the table talking Women Veteran issues. I'm very confident and bold in stating my intent and advocacy for Women Veterans because I represent the speechless and hopeless. I overcome this challenge by waking up everyday knowing I fight for all Veterans and I can't quit or let them down. Advocacy is my passion and I live to make Veteran lives better."
—Cherissa, Retired Air Force Captain.
Here are some companies PowerToFly has teamed up with that have jobs and dedicated programs for veterans:
For more opportunities, check out our full list of jobs available now.
Lead Together: Behind the Scenes of Facebook's Women@ Leadership Day
Tatiana L. is a global client partner based in Miami.
Tatiana is part of the Women@ Facebook Resource Group and helped plan Women's Leadership Day, an annual global community summit. While the highly-anticipated event takes place over just one day, its massive impact is felt over the course of the entire year.
Amy W. is an operations lead based in London.
"Women's Leadership Day is more than an event. It's energy, and it's a movement," Amy W., an operations lead in London, says. "Moments like this can completely change the perception of women in technology."
From choosing the content and programming for the event to making it accessible for women around the globe, we went behind the scenes with seven members of the Women@ Facebook Resource Group to learn more about how women are empowered—and are empowering one another— in their career journeys at the Facebook company.
Behind the scenes with Women@
Amanda M., an internal recruiting manager based in Singapore, speaking onstage at 2019 Women@ Leadership Day in APAC.
"I've always been passionate about empowering women, but I didn't know how I could do it at work. My first Women@ experience changed how I felt at Facebook," Amanda M., an internal recruiting manager in Singapore, remembers. "From then on, I wanted to help other women feel heard, valued, and confident."
Planning the global event, which brings together women from more than 20 countries, calls for close collaboration across multiple teams, regions, and timezones. Members of Women@ also partner with other Facebook Resource Groups, such as the Pride@ Resource Group, Latin@ Facebook Resource Group, Desis@ Facebook Resource Group and Black@ Resource Group, to ensure all women at Facebook are represented and feel included.
Vivian V. is a program manager based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
"Across regions and communities, we each bring unique differences and powerful stories. When one of us moves forward, we have the opportunity to bring all of us forward," Vivian V., a program manager in the San Francisco Bay Area explains. "While planning the summit, we meet weekly to talk about what women in different regions are experiencing. From the event theme and content to planning speaker sessions and fine-tuning details, we each have items to own. Two months before the summit, we meet daily to share updates and make sure nothing slips through the cracks."
"Just like me, women in APAC look forward to Women's Leadership Day all year long," Amanda says. Planning something that's deeply meaningful to so many people can feel like a lot of pressure, but at the same time, it's uplifting. I appreciate that we have the opportunity to talk about our individual and shared challenges, and we map out ways we can build community while empowering leadership for women across the globe."
Empowering confidence, equality, and leadership through storytelling
Paris Z., a vertical strategy lead in Singapore, and Amanda M. collaborate with women across the globe to plan Women@ programming and events.
Women's Leadership Day encourages women to talk about challenges like experiencing imposter syndrome, breaking through barriers, and how to manage work/life flexibility. "Storytelling is a huge part of the event," Paris Z., a vertical strategy lead in Singapore, explains.
Vivian says, "I've been at Facebook for nearly two years and help plan these events, and honestly, I never really understood imposter syndrome before I got here. Working with the Women@ community and hearing from our speakers—who are talented, brilliant superstars—I've seen firsthand how it affects them too."
Michelle C. is a client partner based in London.
Michelle C., a client partner in London, says that the summit's speaker sessions, which feature people from inside and outside of Facebook, are a highlight of every event. "We had a speaker from Tel Aviv who talked about the importance of balance in her personal life and how she co-parents with her husband. She shared specific things she's done, like adding her husband to the WhatsApp chat groups for mothers she's in and reminding her daughter's school that her husband is also available when their child feels sick. Her message was that we'll never be equal in the workplace until we're equal at home, and it really struck a chord."
Paris says that in APAC, Eva Chen's talk about facing challenges amidst the coronavirus pandemic and how she's raising her daughter was a top-rated session because it was so relatable. "From talking about her daughter's love for dinosaurs—a "boy" thing—and raising kids to fully be themselves to opening up about what it was like to grow up with immigrant parents from China and Vietnam, Eva inspired us with her authenticity and openness. Her struggle to feel supported while working in fashion and tech, rather than medicine, is something a lot of people in APAC understand."
"Every woman has a unique story," Michelle says. "Hearing from others is inspiring, validating, and truly eye-opening. It reminds us that we're not alone."
A memorable and lasting impact
It's no surprise that with the tremendous amount of planning and careful consideration that goes into the summit, its full impact is impossible to measure.
"It meant so much to me when people shared such positive feedback about Women's Leadership Day," Paris says. "We heard that some attendees felt inspired for days and weeks."
Kira G. is an agency partner based in Berlin.
Kira G., an agency partner in Berlin, has witnessed how the summit's programming can inspire action, even helping people push past a career plateau. "We might reach a point in our careers when we think, "I can't do this anymore, I'm not moving forward'," she says. "Women's Leadership Day gives us fresh perspectives, shows us new approaches, and starts important conversations. This can unlock new paths for growth and help us move forward."
Impact is felt in other Facebook groups, communities, and across teams too, inspiring interest and allyship. Amanda explains, "I felt so proud when a male VP from the Sales team came to us after hearing about what people talked about at Women's Leadership Day. He told us he wanted to learn more because it's everyone's responsibility to be an ally."
Empowering the community throughout the year
While Amanda describes Women's Leadership Day as a "bump in energy and inspiration" and "an injection of adrenaline", Vivian says that the real magic is what happens afterwards—and takes place all year long.
"When we think about Women's Leadership Day, our focus is on making sure that the powerful messages we hear and experience serve us throughout the entire year. We ask ourselves questions like, "How can we sprinkle these themes into our programming throughout the month or quarter? How do these ideas fit with our Women@ initiatives?" Going through something awesome together is just the beginning. Our work takes place year-round and we're constantly building on it to do more."
Paris agrees: "There's no shortage of amazing stories from our Women@ community throughout the year. Women's Leadership Day is just one channel for those stories, and I love how it stays top of mind with people and empowers them to do more good. When we come together, we can do anything we dream of."
"We're building a sisterhood and a community," Tatiana beams. "It feels so good to know there's always someone there to support you."
Learn more about Facebook's Employee Resource Groups, including Women@ here.
