Beautiful Receptionist Has Bigger Career Plans, Seeks To Be Taken Seriously

Dear Tazi:

I am naturally blonde and large busted, which leads people to think I am a stupid bimbo. I recently started a new job as a receptionist and file clerk for a company I would like to work for in a higher capacity once I finish my college degree.I thought taking this job would be a good foot in the door, but I am starting to think it was a mistake.

Every time I greet a client I am pleasant and professional, and I am making a lot of great business contacts - many of who tell me they would love to hire someone as professional as me! When I tell them that I will be completing my Engineering degree this spring, they do a double take and look completely caught off guard before commenting that they thought I was "just a receptionist" or a "professional secretary" and not an Engineer. Many will then joke about how the women in their Engineering classes were not nearly as pretty as me, which makes me uncomfortable about even pursuing job openings with their firms. I want to be hired for my skills, not my looks!

I have spoken with the owner of my firm about my future career plans, and he has told me that he would be happy to hire me if he has any openings, but right now business is slow and he does not see himself hiring any Engineers in the near future. He told me that all of his clients have said good things about me, so he thinks I should probably see if they are hiring. I didn't have the heart to tell him that his clients - mostly construction companies and architecture firms - all think I am just a pretty face.

I know I should probably be looking for yet another internship at this point, but I have already completed a few and right now my senior Engineering project is taking all the time and mind power I have available for such things. Plus, I really like my job and the people I work with; I am making some fabulous connections; and I am even learning things that I could not possibly learn in school, like how thinks work on a day-to-day level in a real Engineering firm. I have learned which companies pay their bills on time and which ones are practically bankrupt, which will be helpful if I have to look for work in my field at another firm. I have no regrets about my decision to work here, just some concerns about my future. Will my firms clients ever see me as anything but a receptionist? How can I impress upon them the fact that I am a skilled Engineering student who will soon be entering the workforce?

Signed,
Almost There

Dear Almost There:

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! I think the path you are taking to make professional contacts is unorthodox, but brilliant! An Engineering student's senior project is something that can be listed on a resume as a form of field-related experience, so it is not like you are slacking off by working as a receptionist during your final semester of study. Currently, you are working as the eyes and ears of an engineering firm. I am sure that you have seen and heard things that will work to your advantage in the near future - such as which companies are financially solvent and which are not, and even word on who is hiring before opportunities are advertised.

Engineers are always in demand!

You are facing a problem that a lot of women face in the work force - being judged by your looks and not your abilities. I suggest you try to use whatever time you have to interact with clients to the best of your advantage, to show that you have brains as well as beauty. If possible, try to learn what types of projects your firm's clients are working on and familiarize yourself with some of the details. When a client comes to visit, greet them as you always would and ask them how a particular project is coming along, explaining that you are an Engineering student with an interest in these kind of projects. Be sure to mention at which university you are studying - the reputation of your program can open doors for you, too! By proving you have an understanding of the technical jargon - and holding up your end of the conversation with correct use of the same - your clients should be able to see past your pretty face and into the intelligent mind that resides within.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Sometimes, Dreams Need To Adjust To The Reality That Surrounds Them

Dear Tazi:

I am twelve and I want to grow up to be an Air Force pilot. The problem is I have terrible eyesight and you need to have 20/20 uncorrected vision to fly a plane. My Dad is in the Air Force and I asked him if they would make an exception for me but he told me there are no exceptions in the U.s. Air force, only exceptional people. He told me that there are lots of things to do in the Air force besides fly planes, but I want to fly a plane.

My best friend’s Mom just had some kind of surgery where they shoot lasers at her eyes to make her eyesight perfect. I asked my parents if I could have lasers shot at my eyes to make my eyesight perfect so I could fly in the Air Force but my parents said no, that my eyesight will continue to change as I continue to grow and that even if I had the surgery my eyesight would not stay perfect for long. I said I could just have the surgery again but they still said no.

Being an Air Force pilot is all I have ever dreamed of doing. Am I going to have to decide to do something else when I grow up because of my stupid eyes?

Signed,

Stupid Eyes

Dear Stupid Eyes:

Your eyes may not be perfect but that does not mean that they are stupid! They allow you to see, right? Never take your senses for granted; there are those who have been blinded due to diabetes or other health problems that would love to have your less-than-perfect eyesight.

At twelve years old, you have a long life ahead of you and even though you have wanted to be an air Force pilot for as long as you can remember, your memory is not yet that long. It is okay to mourn a dream lost, but you still need to accept that some dreams are not meant to come true; your dream of being an Air Force pilot appears to be one of them. This does not mean that you cannot join the Air Force – like your father said there are lots of things to do in the Air Force other than fly a plane, and he should know, right?

The surgery your friend’s Mom had is called laser eye surgery, and your description of how it is done is darn near accurate! However, it is also for people whose eyesight is so bad it cannot be easily corrected any other way. If your eyesight ever gets this bad, you can consider laser eye surgery, but even then I am not certain the Air Force will accept you into flight school. According to the U.S. Military’s About.com page anyone who has had laser eye surgery before enlisting in the Air Force will not qualify for flight school unless a special waiver is granted. Active pilots who require the surgery are allowed to continue flying. However, who knows what the case will be six years from now, when you are old enough to enlist? If you are passionate about joining the Air Force, I am not going to suggest you plan to do otherwise, but will suggest that you consider all of the career options the Air Force can offer you.

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Man Or Woman, A Nurse Is A Nurse!

Dear Tazi:

I am a Nurse. I am also a man. As you might imagine, I get a lot of attitude about being a :"male Nurse", like my profession somehow makes me less of a man. I have had people go so far as to ask me why I didn't go to med school to become a doctor, "like men are supposed to do". As you can imagine, my response to this is complicated but starts with the fact that I had no desire to be a Doctor; I like being a Nurse and have no plans on changing my profession.

I recently passed my one year anniversary with my current employer and am now eligible for tuition assistance should I return to school for further training, certifications, or to work towards a Masters' Degree, which is my eventual goal. I want to get my M.S.N. so I can work as a Nurse Practitioner, maybe even going for my PhD. My family does not seem to understand why I just don't apply for admission to medical school. I try to explain to them that there are huge differences between a career in Nursing and a career as an MD, but they seem to think that Nurses do the job of a C.N.A. My mother is not so bad, but my father and my older brothers are unbearable.

Tazi, I am not sure why I am writing to you. Maybe for validation? Maybe so you can inform the world that when it comes to patient care, Nurses are the ones who run the show? Maybe for permission to give all the naysayers in my life a Paw Slap Of Disgust?

Signed,
Nurse Andy

Dear Nurse Andy:

I think you need to take a deep breath and watch this clip from Meet the Parents:

 Did you notice something about the men in this clip who are poking fun at Greg? Did you notice that they are all a bunch of ignorant jackasses? It was in watching this scene that I realized how much Nurses do and the career flexibility that they have; plus, they don't have to deal with the insurance companies! Talk about your win-win situation!

Since you seek my permission to hand out a Paw Slap Of Disgust to the people who hassle you about being a Nurse, here is my latest incarnation:

Personally, I think it looks quite manly!

I suggest when people - especially your family - start to get on your nerves, gently remind them of what you have told me: "that when it comes to patient care, Nurses are the ones who run the show"; feel free to add a sinister glance that suggests that the need to be nice to you! There are some people who have yet to leave the Stone Age and catch up to modern reality; sadly, your family members appear to be among them. Since you cannot educate them you are going to have to toughen your skin and learn to ignore their barbs. Unless a job requires you to have a particular set of sex organs Nursing is not a "man's job" or a "woman's job" but a job that requires a person who is qualified to do the job - and that goes for all careers!

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.