How Identity Has Influenced An Agricultural Economist's Career At California Agriculture Department
Early in their career, a mentor helped the Agricultural Economist secure equal pay, highlighting the persistent need for women to "vouch for themselves." Despite California's equity policies, the professional continues to encounter "good old boy" mentalities, particularly among older generations in the agricultural sector, necessitating consistent demonstration of superior skills and preparation to navigate career challenges.
Gender Equity in the Workplace, Negotiation and Advocacy Skills, Professional Resilience, Overcoming Implicit Bias, Networking and Mentorship
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Miranda Townsend
Agricultural Economist
California Department of Food and Agriculture
UC Santa Cruz, 2020
UC Davis, Agricultural and Resource Economics Masters Program
Environmental & Related Sciences
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, Government & Public Sector
Research and Development (R&D)
Pell Grant Recipient
Video Highlights
1. Miranda's early career experience highlights the importance of advocating for fair compensation, as she had to fight for equal pay compared to a male colleague.
2. Navigating a male-dominated field requires consistently showcasing skills and being highly prepared to counteract potential biases.
3. Miranda observes generational differences in workplace dynamics, noting that older generations may exhibit a 'good old boy' mentality, while younger generations are more equitable. This highlights the evolving nature of gender dynamics in professional settings.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as female, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
It's definitely had an impact. The first thing, as an example, is a summer job I worked in Burlingame. It wasn't related to my field.
My aunt, who lived in the area and was the head accountant for a company, needed a basic data administrator for the summer. She had this sit-down conversation with me, and it was like the first real job I'd had.
She told me, "You need to vouch for yourself. Not only as a young adult fresh into careers, people are always going to try to take advantage, especially as a woman." She helped me vouch for my pay.
There was another kid, a male, who started at the same time as me with the same experience. They were going to pay him more than me as a data administrator. My aunt totally vouched for me, saying I have the skills and they should be paid the same.
Who knows if that was just bias because he was male, but we were the same age and had the same experience. I don't know what else it could have been.
Now, the state has a lot of good protections for gender and race, with equity and inclusion policies. But you'll still get people who act like "good old boys," helping their friends out.
So, learning how to showcase my skills, even at a higher level than male colleagues, and always being prepared has been how I've navigated my career. I haven't had anything significantly damaging happen, but I definitely see it.
It's crazy; you don't think people in 2023 act like that anymore, but they totally do. Especially older generations. Younger generations are better, but the older ones still have this "good old boy" mentality, even if they don't recognize it.
I'm working with farmers, and they definitely have that edge where they have traditional thoughts about men and women. So, always being prepared, showing up my best, and proving myself is how I've navigated my career as a woman.