So I’m realizing that myself and majority of my black girlfriends are really struggling with being in corporate. All amazing, smart, educated women mid to late 40’s. Is this an us problem or general for the times?

I think it impacts black women more in their day to day life. We don’t get the ‘full’ working adult experience. We put so much into fitting into the corporate stereotype we miss out on life enriching activities such as a relationship/marriage. Our personal lives suffer as we see people our age moving forward with their families and all we have to show for it are diplomas and a stable, financially fruitful career. It’s not bad but drinks with your friends and family doesn’t fill that void of being single. It’s harder to date the more you try to be that black ‘power’ woman. I’m projecting because I’m 30 and single lol. Maybe it’s just me.

For me, my job is just a job. I don’t work for fulfillment or anything else but money; my life fulfills me, my job just pays me. That’s it.

As for how I’m perceived or how these whites view me - eh. They show up looking any kind of way, talk crazy to each other, and half ass their way through their work. Im not worried about them. I’m great at my job so they can never come after me about that. I say what needs to be said and let the chips fall where they may. If they fire me, it’s whatever. Bottom line is…I just don’t care.

My objective is to be out of here by 40. Life is too short to be stuck in this environment.

Few people of any ethnicity or gender likes working tbh. Find joy and fulfillment elsewhere. Your job is a means to an end. Do what you need to do at work to finance and provide the lifestyle you want, but there’s sooooo much more to life than work. Don’t expect validation from your career. Many Black women who are in corporate were used to excelling and being the best or a unicorn growing up and in school, so it can be a weird adjustment to not get that good unicorn treatment in the workplace. Find fulfillment elsewhere. Corporate work is for profiting the corporation not the workers, no matter how much they say otherwise.

Both. Corporate is not a healthy or stable place for anyone, especially black women. It’s one of the reasons it grind my gears when big publications have headlines like “Black women are the leading number of entrepreneurs” - we aren’t talking about WHY with the same enthusiasm and loud enough volume for me.

I think that over time, you get tired of putting up a facade and not being your true self to try to fit into spaces that weren’t built for you

I tell my nieces and nephews that not many people that look like us get rich working in Corporate America. You have anomalies here and there but when you see the pay disparities alone you clearly understand why others are so far ahead of us. Most times their bonuses will pay off their homes in two years if they choose. The trajectory for advancement is not as swift oftentimes for us either. By the time you get the promotion you’ve burned yourself out working 10x harder than them. It’s frustrating to say the least.

I went to white private schools my whole life so I think I’ve been conditioned to think this is normal 😢

I am realizing that in corporate, there’s a lot of “DEI” allies that might want to see you do well but never better than them and always on their terms.

The older and more senior I get, the harder I am to contain into a box or a narrative that a lot of “others” want to place on us. For instance, despite having 15 years experience at 35 a colleague is constantly referring to me as “early career”. I haven’t cared enough to correct it because it’s just absurd at this point.

All I care about is money. I’ve got a few years to figure out how to get it without this crap and I’m out.

I am currently taking a self imposed sabbatical (2 months in), because I just couldn’t get myself to keep running on a hamster wheel that I was not even getting value from.

I realize I need money so I am trying to figure out how to make the amount of money I am accustomed to while doing the least amount possible!!

So what is this then? Are we trying to fit in a system that does not fit? Are we missing something? I don’t want my nieces to go through this….. make our own something??

I left the corporate world right at 35, I’m now 36 and have partnered with all of my past employers to bring them business. If you’re confident in your skills, branch out and try consulting 🔥🔥. Corporate life is not meant to be your forever life *unless you’re a partner of the company*

I think I was sold a career when it’s just a job. Missing validation because we are so undervalued and overlooked. Thoughts?

Well i just turned 30 and my girl friends are in the same boat 😭.

I have 3 degrees. Im not single (i have a boyfriend) but it’s like… I’ve been over it since i got laid off. I got back in but my first team was sucking the life out of me. My CD was evil and tbh racist. It’s all ghetto

My experience thus far. Even when I do my job well

Idk I have white, Latino and Asian friends and we all hate it the same. Literally a means to get this cash but we are all over it. I think people overall are feudup.

Corporate America was designed for the yt male with a stay at home wife and it is rough for anyone who doesn't fit that mold. Yt women have benefitted most from DEI initiatives, but it's still a wash. I have some college buddies who live abroad and it's become very apparent to me that corporate America is not so friendly to working parents (mostly moms) either.

So should we just pool our resources and start BGM,The Firm now?

Do you ladies think having a professional community where you can be yourself, be celebrated and get honest feedback and advise is what’s needed?