addressing your career challenges. You may find that there are folks within your company and outside of it who are very much like you. These are people who have had success in advancing their careers by means that may resonate with you. Within your organization, find a mentor whom you trust, admire, and who would be happy to help you navigate through the bureaucracy and politics that are part of any organization. It might also be advantageous to find a sponsor for your advancement. This could be someone in your organization or a highly-regarded person on the “outside” who has the ear of the decision-makers in your company. As you make outside connections, such as through professional organizations, and find folks just like you with whom you can share your thoughts, plans and goals, you may also become aware of opportunities elsewhere. Garfinkle advises that you not forget that “you are your own best advocate.” Do not be reluctant to aim high. After all this is your career. In Short: Have a Plan Take the time to think through the rationale for your career objectives. Survey the landscape. Develop a sense of how things work in any environment in which you work. Look for role models that make sense to you. Finally, it’s not enough to know “what” you hope to achieve, but also “why” you want to go there in the first place. There are career objectives and there are life objectives. In the best of all possible worlds, they are in concert (thank you Dr. Pangloss). Groups Supporting Women in the Industry In 2015, DFI formed the Women in Deep Foundations Com- mittee (WiDF), which has been very successful and has grown to include over 50 women and men with the goal of enhancing professional opportunities for women in the deep foundations industry. The committee is supported by the DFI Educational Trust and holds fundraisers, networking receptions and special lectures. WiDF also offers professional development grants to fund women to attend the DFI Annual Conference (see pg .58). The committee has monthly conference calls on the third Thursday of every month. For more information contact Helen Robinson, P.E., at [email protected] or Mary Ellen Large, P.E., D.GE, at [email protected]. Several engineering consulting firms have begun to offer advocacy and interest groups for women in the industry. Some examples are: was launched in November 2016 by Peggy Hagerty Duffy, P.E., D. GE., and Helen Robinson, P.E. This blog is intended to be a platform upon which women in the geotechnical industry can provide different perspectives on their experiences and find other views that resonate with them. Women@Langan, Schnabel’s WIN group, and Terracon’s Women in Leadership. Underpinnings.blog is a new, independent effort that 108 • DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAR/APR 2017
