Women Execs Offer Career Advice for Getting Ahead

Be persistent. Network. Take risks. Stay organized. Find mentors. Remember everyone is a client. Don’t burn bridges.

Six executive women shared those tips and other career advice during a panel discussion at Montclair State University on Oct. 30. The event was presented by the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship and CREW NJ, a professional group for women working in commercial real estate.

About 80 students and professionals attended the event, held in the university’s Student Center.

The panel included:

• Cheryl Hardt, first vice president of CBRE Brokerage Services;
• 
Susan C. Karp, member, Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard, P.A.;
• Sheila Nall, principal/director of interior design, KSS Architects LLP;
• Stacey Weinberg, leasing manager, Federal Business Centers, Inc.;
• Suzanne Bonney, project manager, CBRE Property Management Services;
• Tara DelGavio, senior manager, CohnReznick LLP

Dawn Johnson of Tyco SimplexGrinnell served as moderator, and Patricia A. Riedel of CBRE Brokerage Services welcomed attendees.

Though the six women work in various areas of the real estate industry, half of them advised students to hone their writing skills. The women noted that being able to write well is an advantage in nearly every job.

Some of the panelists had majors one might not expect to find in the real estate industry, including English, public health and English literature. The executives related how in many cases the real estate industry found them, instead of the other way around.

The panelists and organizers of the event.

Asked what she wishes she had known at age 25, DelGavio talked about the importance of highlighting your own work, because otherwise people might not notice. “Be your own champion,” she said.

The importance of networking was a common theme among the women. Karp encouraged the students to use Montclair State alumni functions as a starting point, and to attend alumni events. “That’s your first network. Plus, it’s fun to go to those things,” Karp said.

Bonney said students may find more options if they are open to relocating for a job. Bonney noted she has moved to London, St. Louis and Washington, D.C., for career opportunities.

Hardt advised the students not to be afraid to take lateral jobs during their career. She also noted the business world is always changing: “We’re all going to be entrepreneurs.”

Weinberg said because she works in a male-dominated industry she is often one of the few women in the room at events and meetings. “I am different, but that’s not a bad thing,” Weinberg said. “I stand out. People will remember me. … You’re not just another man in a suit, but that only gets you so far.” Weinberg said women still have to prove themselves in their work.

The event was promoted on campus by The School of Business, CREW NJ, The Women’s Center, Service-Learning and Community Engagement, Career Services, Leadership Development and Campus Connections, Office of Veteran and Military Resources, Student Government Association, Greek Affairs, Alumni Relations, EOF, The Graduate School, and Women and Gender Studies.