Per My Last Email

Anonymous questions about work, life, and everything in between

Do you need to get it off your “desk”? Enter: Per My Last Email, an anonymous series where we’re getting the real deal on how women feel about their careers—the frustrating struggles, the joyful moments, and everything in-between. Whether you’re looking for real advice or just validation that we’re possibly all going through it right now, find their responses below.

How old are you?

32

What is your job?

Housing Assistance Specialist - I work with families using Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) and calculate what they pay for rent and what our agency pays for rent, making it affordable for them.

What is your yearly income?

$77k

What is your relationship status?

Married - we met in high school so have been together nearly 17 years! It's the best.

Do you have any children?

Not so far.

Did you attend college?

Yes.

If yes, are you currently using the degree you went to school for?

I am. It has very much guided my career path.

What did you want to be when you were a kid?

Marine biologist or architect.

What do you think your younger self would think of you today?

I think she would be pleasantly surprised at how things have shaken out. She'd love my home and husband especially.

Do you love your work?

I love that I am genuinely helping people in very concrete ways every day. But, it's very stressful and emotionally draining. There are so many people struggling in our communities and I get first hand accounts of that every day.

Do you think you should love your work?

I think you should at least love some aspect of your work. Jobs are ultimately a means to an end but we also spend a lot of our waking hours doing them!

What is your work-life balance like?

I've gotten better at creating a balance over time. In an emotionally taxing job it was easy to bring that mental baggage home and it was not healthy for my home life. Now I make sure I fully transition my head space between work and home. When I work at home and don't have my commute to do that, I'll go for a walk after logging off so that my brain knows we are switching to home-life mode! And there is absolutely no email checking on evenings/weekends/vacations.

What is one thing you had to learn the hard way?

Your health is more important than your job. I suffered a major health scare and it was a wake up call that I needed to take care of myself rather than always prioritizing work. Listen to your body and make necessary changes if your job (or any other aspect of your life) is not the right fit for you.

What is something you wish you'd known early in your career?

Negotiate negotiate negotiate when you get job offers! I was so excited to be getting a job offer with my first few jobs out of college I didn't even think about it. And then you find out later an equally qualified coworker makes more than you just because they asked... So go for it and ask for that extra pay or vacation time! The worst they can say is no, and at least you know you didn't leave anything on the table.

What is one piece of advice every woman needs to hear?

Know your worth. This relates to the negotiation topic above, and also every other aspect of our lives. People stay with bad jobs, bad partners, bad friendships, etc. because it's familiar and change is scary. But please know that you are worth respect and care and if you aren't getting that from the situations around you - I promise there are better options out there.

What's one thing you're struggling with? (at work or otherwise)

Prioritizing what money is spent on. There are so many things my husband and I want to do or see, and figuring out how to make it all happen financially is tough (and honestly, impossible!).

What's one thing bringing you joy? (at work or otherwise)

My niece! She never fails to bring a smile to my face and I love watching her grow and learn new things.

Have something you want to get off your desk? Answer this anonymous questionnaire to be included in a future edition of Per My Last Email: