United We Are a Force, and Individually We are W.O.N.

Image Courtesy of Stacy Jones

Women of Note celebrates the unique talents of women of Hampton Roads and seeks to raise awareness of issues women face in the 21st century. We are well aware of the many hats women wear throughout the day as well as throughout their lives and we would like to give women the opportunity to share their experiences juggling these with our community. By sharing our experiences, we hope to inspire others, learn from their perspectives, and foster a dialogue that creates solutions. Today we spot light Stacy Jones.

Affiliation(s) (past and present):

United States Navy, The Planning Council, Community Alternatives Management Group, City of Virginia Beach, 5 Star Residential, Centerstone of Florida, Tidewater Arts Outreach.

How long have you been (working in/participating in) your field?

7 Years

How long have you been working/ living in in Hampton Roads?

14 Years

What advice would you give young women going into your field?

My advice to young women is to be eclectic and tenacious in the self-education of different fields use to describe their participants in services and the support services they work with. Often, you will find that there are very similar, if not the same, philosophies and theories being use, just different words to describe it. Get that thesaurus out! The ability to translate different industries and apply to them to your own will set you apart from others in the field and enhance your ability to work with others.

Has parenthood impacted your career or shaped your perspective as a professional? In what ways?

Parenthood has heavily impacted my career. In Social Work, much of your life is being asked to remain flexible for the those that you serve and your employer. It can easily take over the life that you choose as a parent and influence your family time. You must set firm boundaries for yourself as a parent and weigh those boundaries when considering employers and positions. Negotiate where you can but do not be afraid to leave if it does not fit your goals in parenthood. By doing this, you are protecting yourself, your family while forcing employers to reconsider the work environment they have created for working mothers.

What has been your greatest challenge and what have you learned from it?

My greatest challenge was reinventing how I could apply my Social Work skills in a non-traditional setting. I quickly learned that to be successful in job placement and finding the right employer was relying heavily on my soft skills that made me successful in clinical social work and remaining teachable for hard skills in new industries. Remaining open to growth and having strong mentorship helped tremendously and made me less fearful of asking for help when I needed it. In a world that requires perfection and is non-negotiable, self-acceptance of mistakes and learning can be difficult to achieve but attainable with the right attitude.

Any closing thoughts?

There is no such thing as a problem without at least one solution. Do not fear being or acting on the solution.

Know a Woman of Note that should be featured? Please email us at Spotlighthrnews@gmail.com