Inspirational Women With Everyday Jobs and How You Can Be an Inspiration

When you think about inspirational women in the workforce who do you think of? A family member, a friend, someone famous? Inspirational people are all around us. I am often inspired by my mom, my boss, and the women in my life with everyday jobs.

To me, inspiration is not necessarily about economic success but about how you impact the people around you. Do you put in your share of effort? Are you kind and generous? Are you a team player? These are the qualities I admire in the women I look up to.

In fact, according to well-known career coach Kathy Caprino, inspiration does not come from material success, but one’s demeanor. She created a list of what inspirational people are and do:

1. They are courageous- They power through difficulties and challenges
2. They have empathy- They understand and help others
3. They promote equality and love- They are open with their appreciation of people and are inclusive of all
4. They believe in the power of the collective- They give voice to and uplift other people
5. They “use all of themselves”- They accept their quirks and challenges they have faced and use those to help others

In summary, to be an inspirational person, you have to care for and help others.

You do not have to have a fancy title to help others or be an inspiration. For example, scooping ice cream can make a child’s day and those in your community happy. My current boss inspires me everyday through her hard work and kindness. I am sure you can think of examples of everyday women with everyday jobs who have inspired you.

What if you do find inspiration from women with big jobs and are looking to have a job as a CEO, though? You still will probably have to start with an everyday job before you move to CEO. Fortune wrote a great article about CEOs and their first jobs. Elizabeth Corey, CEO of Allianz Global Investors, sold shoes. For her first job, Angela Ahredts, CEO of Burberry, was a lifeguard and swim instructor at a local pool. At thirteen Nancy McKinstry, Wolters Kluwer CEO, worked at a summer camp for her first job. All of these three women are CEOs of huge companies, but they started out with an everyday job. You can find your everyday job at places such as MoreWithUs, LinkedIn, Indeed, and more.

Whether you want to be a CEO, a firefighter, an actor, or anything else, nothing will limit your ability to inspire. I challenge you to think about inspirational people in your life. What does that mean to you? How can you inspire others?