ARCO/Murray’s own Corie Spankowski, a Director of Operations on the Tenant Solutions team, was featured on September 21, 2020 in a GlobeSt.com Q&A. Corie was named a Woman of Influence in the July/August 2020 edition of Real Estate Forum magazine. She was also one of 18 on GlobeSt’s Women to Watch list.
During the interview, Corie shared her keys to a successful career, shedding light on important steps for knocking down common barriers. Below is an excerpt from the interview. You can find the full interview on GlobeSt.com’s website (please note: you’ll need to be a digital member for full access).
What has been your biggest challenge as a woman in the design-build construction industry?
My biggest challenge, but ultimate driver of success, is continuing to find empowerment in being a woman in a male-dominated industry. I am regularly challenged to find ways to use my gender and the network of supportive women in the field to excel in my career and the careers of the women around me.
I have found growth in understanding that there will always be negative people, situations where I’m expected to over-prove myself and straight-up unfairness. This drives me to continue to develop competencies and skills, anticipate these scenarios and not allow tough circumstances to be deterrents for success.
How can people better position themselves for success in general and in the construction/CRE industries?
I believe this goes for anyone looking to advance in their careers – continue to ask questions, do not accept things as they are and recognize there’s always more to learn.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received that has helped you succeed in your industry? And what is your advice for the next generation?
I was extremely lucky to be introduced to a successful, female business leader at the start of my career. I did not realize it then, but she solidified an informal mentorship with me for which I’m extremely grateful. One of the first suggestions she had was to build a support system of a variety of mentors around you – male and female, internal and external, formal and informal. So, I would like to pass on the advice to establish contacts with a variety of professionals, develop those relationships and use the collective guidance to further your career.
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