An Interview With Melissa Llarena

Whether you think you have or lack the pedigree to be successful is a big topic amongst my career coaching clients. This conversation was such a pleasure because Alicia Jackson-Warren and I had a great dialogue that covered a myriad of ideas around someone’s pedigree in terms of academic credentials and we touched upon messages based on our cultural backgrounds. This is a ripe conversation for anyone who has felt overlooked, unseen, or even marginalized due to having gone to a community college, or not having worked for big name brands, or simply because you may have not felt as “fancy” as some of those working for the world’s most competitive Fortune 500 companies. Alicia and I share how you can market yourself and sell yourself for your resiliency, ability to think creatively, and rise up as the underdog we both love advocating for.   Alicia Jackson-Warren is the Program Director of Career Development and Internships at Prince George's Community College. Ms. Jackson-Warren has been employed at PGCC since 20