Breaking Through & Owning the Space: Facility Management
Breaking Through & Owning My Space: Facility Management
Facility management isn’t the kind of career you hear about growing up. I didn’t dream about HVAC systems, building layouts, or emergency protocols as a kid. But here I am, years later, deep in a field that’s challenging, demanding, and, honestly, a little unknown. It’s also a field where women are rare, minorities are rare, and I’m usually the youngest person by far and large. So, let’s talk about what it’s really like as a woman, what I’ve learned, and what you need to get started.
Where Are the Women?
Facility management is still very much a white male-dominated industry. I rarely see black women at the job sites, in the meetings, or even in the training rooms. That lack of representation? It hits differently. You feel it every time you walk into a space and see that look. There’s a constant sense of having to prove yourself, to show that you know your stuff, that you can keep up with the guys and then some. It’s also a challenge being the youngest person in the room. People have often asked about my experience, considering they assume, for some reason, I’ve only been working for about 2 years and magically showed up to the office.
Being one of the few women in facility management comes with its own unique set of challenges. Sometimes it’s feeling like you have to work twice as hard to be seen and respected. What black woman doesn’t? Other times, it’s having to push back against assumptions or comments that have no place in the workplace. There are also times where you have to push back on sexual passes, comments, stares, and opt out of the team activities. You learn to hold your own. You learn to let your work speak for itself, how to play the game, and over time, you realize that your presence in the field matters - in hopes to set the tone for those that come after you.
What you need in Facility Management
Getting into the field isn’t always straightforward, but it starts with a solid foundation in either technical skills or business management. Many facility managers have backgrounds in engineering, architecture, or project management, but the truth is, people come from all kinds of paths. I had none of this background, but the people skills, problem-solving and ability to prioritize multiple tasks have allowed me to get my foot in the door and then some.
Here are 5 things that helped me in facility management.
Don’t be afraid to get to know your manager and team. I’ve been that person who will sit at everyone’s cubicle asking personal (yet non intrusive /maybe a little intrusive) questions
Step onsite no matter what it looks like (dirty, smelly, inhabitable)
Follow up with people. People like to feel like you can solve their problems even if you can’t.
Get it done. No excuses. Once you make yourself valuable, you’ll be the go-to and close to irreplaceable.
Show your face in high-level meetings. Facilities staff are often seen as the janitors, custodians, maintenance who can’t hold their own in a room of high level executives. Prove them wrong every time.
I can go on and on about this and plan to on my blog. If you want to get into the facility management field, don’t be afraid to reach out to me on the contact page or on LinkedIn.
