We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Ciera Graham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Ciera, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I want to first acknowledge that being the only one in the room is scary and overwhelming, especially for historically marginalized groups (e.g. people of color, women etc.). However, it’s important to acknowledge that the lack of diversity we see in workplaces is the result of long enduring systemic conditions rooted in a history of racism, sexism, and exclusion from institutional systems of power. Lack of representation or lack of diversity is not a personal problem. I think it’s important to find fault in the system, and point out the systemic conditions. As a woman of color, I have navigated predominately white and affluent institutions, so I often was the first and the only in many personal and professional spaces for most of my life. A few things that I have learned include: 1) finding spaces of joy outside of homogeneous spaces. I think it’s important to look for other spaces that speak to your identity and provide an opportunity to connect with other like minded professionals who share your lived experiences. For me, this meant joining clubs and organizations like the Black Student Union and building alliances with other Black women professionals both in and outside the workplace. These spaces provided respite from the everyday experiences of racism and gender discrimination, but I also was able to connect with others around healthy coping mechanisms. 2) I think for many historical marginalized groups, society often views our identities as deficits and not cultural assets. Being multilingual or being able to transverse in and out of different cultural spaces should actually be viewed as cultural enhancer and not an inhibitor to one’s success. This has taken a lot of therapy, re-framing and affirmation work–but I am learning to see aspects of my identity as an asset to the workplace, and learning how to name, and leverage those assets in workplaces. 3) Find sponsors–mentors are great, but sponsors are people who are senior leaders and decision makers who ensure others within and outside your sphere of influence know your name, and the value you bring to the organization. In every job I have had, I make a conscious effort to go above and beyond and separate myself from other employees. This often garners the attention of other senior leaders, and so I always make sure that I am communicating my value and impact in the workplace, especially to those responsible for making decisions about promotion and advancement.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the founder of Dr. C Graham Consulting, and I am a career coach, freelance writer and speaker. My coaching specialty is helping millennials and Gen Zers assess their skills, define their strategy, and engage in storytelling to ultimately secure and succeed in the job of their dreams. I am someone who strongly believes that career coaching isn’t just for those seeking C-suite positions or something done later in life for mid to late career professionals–I strongly believe that career coaching is essential for young professionals as we navigate the complexity of work, life, and mental health. I have a counseling background, so this pairs quite well with my coaching expertise–as I believe strongly in healthy work and career integration and boundaries. With personalized coaching, I work with clients to identify through barriers, harness their unique potential, and help them achieve your personal and professional goals.
I help clients with the following:
Resume & Cover Letter Development/Reviews
Mock Interviews/Interview Preparation
Job Search Strategy
Salary Negotiation
Career or Job Transitions
Identifying New advancement opportunities
Aligning personal interests to a career
Career changes including layoffs and career breaks
Navigating challenging workplace situations
Navigating and thriving as a manager
I am also a freelance writer, and speaker, who enjoys writing and speaking on the intersection between DEI, education, social justice, work, popular culture, and politics. My work has been featured in Business Insider, Career Contessa, Seattle Times, the Everett Herald, College Xpress, Medium and more. I have also appeared on the following podcasts: Career Contessa, Your Career GPS, and Find your Dream Job.
I am a first-generation college graduate and born and raised in Seattle to a working-class family. Much of success and work ethic is the result of my parents who both worked blue-collar jobs but consistently reiterated the value of education. I went on to pursue a bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. Most of my experience is in higher education administration, but I have also worked in local government. I have served on numerous non-profit boards and I extremely passionate about youth development, education, social justice, and women’s rights.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most important qualities and skills were self-advocacy, healthy risk taking, and strong execution skills. As a first-generation college graduate, I have had to learn how to advocate for myself and not depend on other forms of social capital to help me get ahead. This meant learning how to ask for help without fear, and selling my impact and value if I felt like I deserved an opportunity. We don’t talk enough about healthy risk taking–and I think naturally if you come from very modest means, taking risks can feel scary. Healthy risk taking for me meant taking risks or opportunities that had minimal consequences. For example, I believe much of my conventional career success was largely due to me applying for jobs that I didn’t possess 100% of the qualifications for or choosing to leave a job that felt stagnant for something that was more challenging and paid more. These were risks I took in my career, and I do not regret taking them. I believe the strongest skill and value you can add in the workplace is to be a strong executor. Being a visionary is great but being someone who can execute the vision is even better. My advice that I have for folks early in their journey is to take those healthy risks–but make sure you clearly identify the opportunity costs associated with those risks. It’s much easier to take risks earlier in life when you have less commitments.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking to partner or collaborate with other career coaches or writers especially those who work with and/or focus on issues pertaining to millennials and GenZers in the workplace, women, or people of color. I am a multi-hyphenate professional and I have always enjoyed building my skills in different areas and doing a lot of different things. However, as I get older, I am also understanding the importance of harnessing one skill really well. I am always looking to build and expand my brand so if you’re a career coach or a writer and want to collaborate on a project, don’t hesitate to reach out: [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cieragraham.com/
- Instagram: drcgrahamconsulting
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcieragraham/
