SUPPORT WOMEN AT WORK BY SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES, MENTORING, AND ADVOCATING FOR OTHERS, FEATURING SHUSHMITA HASHEM, NORTH COAST RECEIVING SUPERVISOR

November 1, 2023 - Shushmita Hashem, North Coast Receiving Supervisor at Auburn, Washington, was featured in a Fairygodboss article! She discusses how she approaches advocating for women through mentorship, sharing her story and embracing individuality.

Looking back on her career journey at North Coast, Shushmita Hashem, Receiving Supervisor, credits her growth to her own hard work and the mentors who have lifted her up along the way.

“Mentorship has played a major role in how I see myself ‘fitting in’ within the world,” Hashem tells Fairygodboss. “Sharing stories and interpretations of how certain experiences leave impressions on you allows you to dig deeper and learn more about yourself and what it is you value.”

Hashem shares a few ways that we can uplift others — helping people rise into any role they want across all industries! 

1. “Share your story,” Hashem encourages. “This is especially meaningful or important if you are in a mid- to high-level position or have found success in your work. To those who are just starting out in their career, your position can seem unreachable. Speak out about your wins, losses, ups, and downs. Be as relatable as possible. By sharing your story, other women start believing that they have the power to reach their goals.”

2. “Accept and embrace individuality,” says Hashem. “Accept that not all women are the same. Yes, I know that this seems obvious. But we’ve all read enough about gender bias to know that there are certain qualities expected of women. Embrace the ways in which women in your team are individual; don’t expect them to adhere to a stereotypical idea of femininity, and don’t hold them back when they do.”

Here, we caught up with Hashem to learn more about the support she’s been given throughout her career at North Coast, as well as her best advice for other women in the workplace on pulling each other up so there’s more diversity across the board. Read on for her inspirational tips and story!

To begin, please share a few more details about your career journey. How have you grown your career?

During my senior year of college, I completed an internship program with Nordstrom at one of their fulfillment locations. During this, my emphasis was on Quality and Continuous Improvement throughout the building. Then, as I was nearing the end of my internship, I was approached and offered a full-time management position as the Inbound Area Manager.

After further developing my people management skill sets and learning more about the intricacies of supply chain flow, (most of which was self-driven and promoted), I was promoted within six months to the Inbound Operations Manager (covering Returns, Claims, Receiving, and Stock). At the time, I was the youngest leader in the building and the youngest to obtain that position within that building.

This is all to say that age does not always determine your ability. However, it will shape others’ biases on whether or not you’re “fit” for the job. Don’t necessarily seek to prove them wrong, but have the confidence to go for what you want.

What career move that you made are you most proud of?

This is less so an actual career move but more so a mentality: You don’t have to follow the status quo to be viewed as or become successful. Trajectory and timelines look very different per person and experience.

For me personally, my work ethic and drive spoke for itself. I moved up the “rankings” quite fast, especially for being so young, but it was well earned. Remain true to your values and ethics, and you will reap the benefits of that confidence.

Lastly, how does North Coast Electric, a Sonepar company, support women?

North Coast, a Sonepar company, promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through numerous employee resource groups (ERGs). One is Women Advocating for Today & Tomorrow (WATT). This designated platform and employee-based support group aims at “empowering & inspiring women to reach their full potential in an inclusive environment that drives professional and personal development.” This group provides leadership and development opportunities to help showcase skillsets via collaborative projects, seminars, and community events.

In addition to our WATT ERG, we have many others like ADAPT ERG-(disability), African American ERG, Asian American & Pacific Islander ERG, Connect ERG- (early career mentorship and development), Hispanos Unidos ERG, Military ERG, and Pride ERG (LGBTQIA+).

These groups, regardless of their main title, are critical for all genders to feel they have safe spaces to share ideas, collaborate, influence change, and feel heard and seen. Through the prioritization of development, the company in turn aims to attract, develop, and retain a diverse employee population.

Read the full article here.