Interview: How to "Embrace Equity" this IWD 2023
Date: 07/03/23
Author: Anthony Harrison
With International Women’s Day and National Careers Week upon us, we thought, 'what better time to showcase some of the diverse female talent within Community Fibre'? So, we've enlisted a few members of our Community to tell us all about their careers, to get a better perspective on how they overcame any challenges they may have faced, and to hear what advice they would give to those just starting out in their career.
Read on to discover what International Day means to them and how we can all do our bit to ensure more young women strive for bigger success.
Celebrating International Women's Day 2023 - an interview with Community Fibre's talent
We asked Sara Caselli
Head of Digital Product:
Can you tell us a little about the beginnings of your career path?
"I have changed my mind so many times about the job I wanted to do! As a child, I wanted to be a ballerina, a hairdresser, an engineer, an artist…then I went to university and did Foreign Languages and Literature and wanted to be an interpreter.
During university, I started studying Marketing and Communication and did a master's degree in Web Communication with an internship as a Digital Marketing Specialist…and I have not left the Digital world since! I did more Digital Acquisition at the beginning, then more product roles and CRO roles when I left Italy.
So, I would say my career has changed; I have changed many jobs and three countries, but always in the Digital World, really."
We asked Kelly Mukhida
Customer Engineering Coordination Manager:
Is there anyone who inspired you throughout your career?
If so, please tell us a bit about them and what effect they had on you.
"An old school friend’s Social Worker named Jenny – she was so caring and focused on using all the resources she could to help her cases.
She inspired me to really get to know the full extent of my reach and resources within any role to utilise all of them to the benefit of the customer."
We asked Lorraine Kusetta
Head of IT Strategy & Business Partnering:
What is the most important advice you have been given throughout your career?
"Fake it until you make it. This comes from having imposter syndrome and is about believing in yourself until you feel confident in what you are doing.
Also, be kind to everyone; there is never an excuse to treat anyone badly, regardless of your or their position."
We asked Kim Toothill
Have you faced any barriers in your career or in performing a role due to being a woman?
If so, how did you overcome them?
"I wouldn’t say I’ve faced barriers, but I’ve often been treated differently to men which can make you question your right to be there.
For example, having feedback that said, ‘For a woman, you did really well at…’; or being talked over in meetings/presentations; being called pet names; etc.
I think you need to remind yourself you have earned your place and have every right to be there."
We asked Katie Bean
Why did you choose to take up your role at Community Fibre,
and what drew you towards a role in telecoms?
"I joined Community Fibre as I really resonate with their values, and that’s very important to me in my working life. The role I have today has been an exciting one I helped create as the business has evolved by putting together a team to ensure we can deliver what we need.
I’ve always been very clear it's never the job that attracts me. I’ve always thought I could turn my hand to most things, but I’m very much led by people. I’ve got to where I am today by choosing to work with some truly best-in-class, amazing people. That’s certainly my number one consideration when taking a new role; who will I be working for and with? Will that bring the best out of me and challenge me to grow further?
It's an exciting way to approach things as who knows where it will lead you?"
We asked Inga Tarelea
What do some of the International Women’s Day slogans, like #BalanceForBetter or
#EmbraceEquity, mean for you in your work life?
"The more we collaborate, discuss, are united and hear each other, the better results we achieve. We need to have women's voices heard!"
We asked: Aimee Haller
Do you think there is currently enough visibility and resources to ensure that more women
can take advantage of career opportunities commonly underrepresented by women?
If not, how can we all do our part to improve this?
"I believe there is always more we can do in this space.
Some examples:
Schools allowing Industry leaders to educate and talk with young women about the opportunities available to them, which they otherwise would not have considered, is a great way to build this awareness.
Also, partnering with schools to run work experience or traineeship opportunities is another way to drive this.
There could also be opportunities for colleges to partner with Industry leaders for certain modules of relevant qualifications, where the practical ‘on the job’ elements could be taught ‘on the job’ via the industry leaders in partnership with the college."
Why is International Women's Day important?
International Women's Day was founded in 1975 but has a long and rich history following women's rights and gender equality. It's a day of celebration where we can all shine a light on the economic, social and political and cultural achievements of women around the world and highlight the work that still needs to be done, such as supporting and funding progressive causes. Each year, the day also explores a different theme which encourages us to push for gender equality, with this year's theme challenging us all to #EmbraceEquity.If you're looking for a rundown of the great women that pioneered women's rights and the events that led up to today, look no further. You can read up on what International Women's Day is and discover its history and meaning right here.
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