In the Working
World
A look at some
amazing careers of modern women.
by Deborah Reber
TWEENS & TEENS News June 2007
When figuring out what career you might want
to have someday, it’s all about exposure—
exposure for you, like exploring things that
interest you, and exposure to careers, such
as learning about what kinds of jobs exist.
As you’ll learn from these three extraordinary
women, perhaps the most important aspect of
attaining career success is being open to
the possibilities.
Diana Ritchey, Animation Producer
When she took a job as a development assistant
at Hanna Barbera, Diana Ritchey had no idea
that years later she’d be producing
one of the most popular animated sitcoms on
TV: American Dad. “I knew I wanted to
surround myself with creative and artistic
people,” Ritchey explains, “but
it wasn’t until I fell into the world
of animation that my producer dreams solidified.”
Ritchey worked at Hanna Barbera and later
Cartoon Network for more than ten years, moving
from production assistant to many jobs up
the corporate ladder. At the Cartoon Network,
Ritchey worked on hit shows including Powerpuff
Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, Johnny Bravo
and Samurai Jack. Then when Ritchey landed
an opportunity to work on American Dad at
FOX, it was a move she was ready to make.
“Leaving the comfortable for the unfamiliar
was a big deal,” Ritchey says. “But
I’m glad I did it, because I’ve
grown so much in this position.”
As an animation producer, Ritchey is a master
multitasker— her job requires handling
dozens of details simultaneously. When she
was first hired, Ritchey’s primary job
was building up the production crew for American
Dad, by hiring artists, directors, assistant
directors and storyboard artists, as well
as setting up the production studio.
Today, Ritchey oversees the production of
the show— keeping everyone on schedule
and within budget, and making sure all 81
members of her crew are happy and not overly
stressed. When challenges arise, Ritchey is
responsible for finding a creative way to
solve the problem.
“It’s a big job, but what I’ve
found most rewarding is that because I’m
so involved, I’m able to support my
crew in a way that makes them feel good about
their work,” says Ritchey. “As
a result, they want to work harder, and that
makes my job easier.”
Ritchey’s career advice: “I never
skipped a step on my career path, and today
I’m a better manager because I’ve
done every job below me. Growth happens really
fast for some people and slower for others,
but just be patient and do your job as best
as you can. Eventually you’ll reap the
rewards.”
Janine Joly, Prosecuting Attorney
For many of us, watching an episode of Law
& Order is the closest we’ll get
to experiencing courtroom drama. For Janine
Joly, senior deputy prosecuting attorney in
the King County Civil Division, courtroom
dramas are a common occurrence. In her job
of legally representing county agencies and
officials, Joly has a varied case load, requiring
numerous tasks such as performing research,
representing clients in court and even arguing
in the State Supreme Court.
“I love the variety of the job,”
says Joly. “From citizen initiatives
to environmental issues, there’s something
new coming up almost every week.”
Joly didn’t always dream of being a
lawyer. In fact, after going to college, she
planned to return to school to study social
work. “I always wanted to work with
people and help them solve problems,”
she says. “But then I decided to go
to law school instead so I’d have more
options available when I got out.”
Joly narrowed down her field of interest during
summer break of law school. While most of
her friends took well-paying internships at
corporate law firms, Joly took an unpaid position
with the Seattle City Attorney’s Office.
“I worked there for free, but it was
the best job I could have taken,” Joly
reflects. “I did a hearing, I wrote
briefs, I worked with public officials. It
was then that I realized I wanted to work
for the government.”
Joly had to overcome some hurdles to be a
lawyer— the biggest being a lack of
confidence in her public speaking abilities.
“I always wondered if I’d be any
good at arguing cases in court because I was
shy when I was younger,” admits Joly.
“But if you work hard and prepare for
what you’re going to argue, you can
be successful. Today it’s actually one
of my favorite parts of the job.”
Joly’s career advice: “Keep an
open mind about what you’re going to
end up doing, and be willing to change your
mind and explore new things. You might find
out you enjoy it!”
Bridget Perry, Director of Partner Programs
Some people spend their entire careers working
toward one specific goal. For people like
Bridget Perry, career goals are about finding
success and growth in each position and then
making smart choices regarding what comes
next.
“I haven’t set a long-term goal
like ‘I want to be the CEO of a company
in ten years,’ or anything like that,”
says Perry. “Instead, I look at what
the next level for each job is and how I’ll
get there. My overall goal is to have a job
where I’m challenged, growing and making
an impact, but that also allows me to have
balance in my personal life.”
Though she started out in the nonprofit sector,
Perry switched to the corporate world after
getting her MBA. Today, as director of partner
programs, she oversees programs that support
Microsoft and its partners in selling software
to other companies. As part of her job, she
manages a team of seven people, making sure
the employees have what they need to do their
jobs well and mentoring them to achieve their
goals. Perry also tracks her team’s
projects. Lastly, Perry represents her team
when collaborating with other Microsoft departments
to create more opportunities for synergy.
“We’re a new team here at Microsoft,
and I love the challenge of helping us find
ways to get greater results than we could
individually,” says Perry. “I
also love it when I can help someone become
more effective and realize their personal
and professional goals.”
Perry’s career advice: “Life is
about learning, growing and continuous improvement,
so don’t beat yourself up about things
that don’t go well. Sometimes you can
actually learn more through mistakes.”
Five Career Tips for Future Working
Girls
1. It’s never too early to start dreaming.
There are opportunities for teens to gain
experience in just about any field, such as
through camps, internships and special mentoring
programs. Do a Google search and see what
you can find.
2. Work on discovering your passion. Sign
up for afterschool clubs, take dance classes,
volunteer at a local nursing home. The more
things you expose yourself to, the more likely
you are to discover what truly interests you.
3. Conduct informational interviews or shadow
someone on the job. If you’re interested
in a specific career field, find out what
the career truly entails by speaking with
someone who holds your dream job. If possible,
spend a day trailing that person on the job.
4. You can learn something from every experience.
It may not always be clear how a current job
or opportunity fits in with your big career
goal, however, you can take something valuable
away from every experience.
5. There is nothing out of your reach. If
you believe in yourself and your abilities,
and are willing to do what it takes to reach
your goals, you can be and do anything you
want.
Deborah Reber’s latest book for
teen girls, In Their Shoes: Extraordinary
Women Describe Their Amazing Careers (Simon
Pulse) came out in April 2007. To find out
more, visit www.deborahreber.com or check
out Deborah’s blog for teen girls, www.smartgirlsknow.com.
