When I first saw the opening for my current job online, I had no idea what to expect from it. I decided to apply anyways, as the description fit a lot of things that I was capable of doing. I applied for the position of administrative assistant at The University of Iowa Center for Conferences. After submitting my cover letter and résumé and completing an interview, I was hired. Coming into this job, I had no idea what to expect. I had never heard of the Center for Conferences. I didn’t know if their office would be big, what the culture was like there, and if I would get along with my coworkers. I quickly learned that the office was very small, consisting of only four full-time staff members and five part-time student employees. Oh, did I mention that everyone that works there is female? At first, I didn’t think anything of it. But after a while I realized that I was going to have a very unique experience working with all of these wonderful women. Fast forward five months, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them. Here are a few of my favorite perks of working in an all female office.
1. Advice.
From what color shorts to buy for the summer to the classes to take next semester, working with only women offers a place for me to ask the honest opinion of women I respect.
2. Gossip.
Only the good kind, though. One time, right after she left the office, one of my co-workers texted us all to inform us that she was just in the elevator with her future husband. Could you really text your male co-workers something like that?
3. No creepy sexual harassment.
I’ve heard from so many friends about backhanded compliments and awkward sexual innuendos from their male co-workers and even supervisors. In our office, nobody would dare say such a thing.
4. Endless support.
Being such a small office, we are pretty close. We feel comfortable talking about the things we are struggling with and get energy from encouraging each other to be the best possible versions of ourselves.
5. Role models.
I’m not sure about the other student employees, but I certainly look up to our full-time staff members. Each of them is so unique and embody many of the things I want to be as an adult. They are all hard-working, kind and patient. I look to them for advice not only career-wise, but for life as well.
One might think that when you put nine women together things could get catty, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth for us. Overall, my experience working for the Center for Conferences has been an incredibly pleasant one. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to collaborate with so many strong, confident individuals and hope that someday when I actually have to be a real adult, I will find a company that makes me feel as comfortable as I do now.
The University of Iowa Center for Conferences is hiring! If you’re a University of Iowa student (nope, you don’t have to be a girl, I promise) and interested in working for us, check out the posting on HireAHawk here.