For a story in Speechwriter's Newsletter's sister publication The Ragan Report, I interviewed SN contributor and longtime freelance speechwriter Jane Genova.
Here's the link.
Jane Genova, who used to be Mary Jane Genova傭efore she embarked on a personal re-branding journey she describes as both behavioral and spiritual.
Mary Jane Genova was loud, aggressive and occasionally profane. A good dresser but a negligent accessorizer. Thirty-five pounds heavier, with gray hair. And, after Sept. 11, out of clients and without the wherewithal to get new ones.
Jane Genova is still more outspoken than the average corporate writer預s part of her re-branding effort, she moved from New Jersey to Connecticut, but the New Jersey never moved out of her傭ut her personal transformation has been profound and she credits it with the busy freelance operation she's running now.
I told her that while I appreciated the length and arduousness of her journey and her candor in sharing the tale with me, it pissed me off (my personal brand still allows me to swear) that a talented, middle-aged woman would have to reform herself in such a way just to keep up with the Joneses.
I sent the article to my sister-in-law, a politically active feminist who works for a big corporation. She said it better than I, pointing out that business has stricter behavioral standards for women than for men, and adding:
"Maybe Jane should write a speech to address all the conservative corporate hoohaws about why it's ok to trust a strong-willed woman whose gray hair and opinionated attitude is an indication of experience and expertise in the field and that maybe they should stop focusing on outward appearance."
I'm sure Jane will agree with that notion. But in the meantime, a woman has to eat.
Comments (4)
Thanks for posting this one. Infuriating or not, it's good information to have. Even more valuable for someone like me considering a radical career change. When in Rome ... etc. I had to giggle at the ring though. Also at the fact that our political and social climate is such that an unmarried woman has to reaffirm not only her unmarried status, but also her personal inclinations. har.
(Posted with my email address finally. Figured I've been hanging about so much you might as well know who I am. <snickers>)
Posted by DeAnna | June 20, 2005 4:44 PM
Posted on June 20, 2005 16:44
Glad you trust us with your e-mail address. But do you trust us enough to tell us about the big career move you're thinking about?
Posted by David Murray | June 21, 2005 6:51 AM
Posted on June 21, 2005 06:51
<grins> In my idealistic youth, I dreamt of being a speechwriter. Then I graduated college and discovered that one can buy food with money. Also that no one will hire a fresh-faced college grad to write speeches -- at least, not for food money. I miss writing. I'm trying to shift my current job focus to include more of it. But I find myself thinking (to paraphrase someone I can't even remember at the moment) that I can be 40 and a speechwriter or 40 and ... not.
Trouble is, between here and 40 I have to do something -- anything -- that will prove that I have the skills to do so. Last year I thought it was an MA. This year I've grown a brain and realized that it's less about the letters than it is about the words -- and of course about the personal branding.
That's why this was so relevant to me. There's a ton of subtext there about what people expect from writers. Naturally I don't expect (or, I think, even want) to start working at the level where someone would notice or care about a $10,000 ring. But the overall attitude, carriage, and mein is very telling.
And I just said three words that mean the same thing. So I'm not exactly off to a rousing start. ;P
Now I'm off to edit and comment on some executive columns. Wheeee.
Posted by DeAnna | June 21, 2005 3:52 PM
Posted on June 21, 2005 15:52
DeAnna, good luck in your efforts to become a speechwriter. Please keep us posted on your progress and don't hesitate to let me know if I can be of some help.
Posted by David Murray | June 22, 2005 7:52 AM
Posted on June 22, 2005 07:52