The following story could be told about most women who “grew up” in business in the 1970s or 1980s. Many attended college and earned at least one degree and knew that a college education would help them get a pretty good job, but not all knew how to move up the career ladder after they got the job.

Such is the story of Danette A. Reed. The Manager, on the Operations Growth and Commercialization Team, has had a stellar career at Frito-Lay, a major snack manufacturing company for over 25 years. An Industrial Engineering major with a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, Reed worked summers at a Chicago-area pharmaceutical company, but didn’t think about the job as a stepping stone to the start of a career. “I didn’t look down the road at what I could do with what I had learned there,” said Reed.

Reed indicated she had several job offers at graduation, but wasn’t sure which one to take. “My parents were educators and couldn’t give much advice on business careers, like where to go, etc.,” said Reed. “And, there weren’t a lot of people to talk to in mostly white, male-dominated Industrial Engineering, especially Blacks and women.” She added, “Plus, I wanted to get out [of college] and make money. So I took a job in Commerce, TX that allowed me to follow a then-boyfriend.”

“Even though I was intelligent and educated, I didn’t make good career choices. I may have had other [career] options had I stayed in school another year,” said Reed.

Eventually, she earned a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX while working for her current employer, Frito-Lay.

It was at Frito where she blossomed. “I’ve done well here, but I think of how much more I could have accomplished had I known more about ‘career building’-- about the importance of networking, how to seek out mentors. I’ve had people who noticed me and my performance, but I wasn’t deliberate in seeking a mentor.”

She gave up industrial engineering to learn more about business, knowing it would help her move up the career ladder in Frito Lay. She did some non-traditional jobs there in quality control, production supervision, and eventually became a plant manager. She even supervised the start-up of a multi-million plant, from the building to the hiring—all on schedule.

Reed offers the following advice to women who want to move up in their careers:

• Have a vision of what you want to do now--and next.
• Perform well and have a good reputation.
• Know that you may have to take a step to the side to move up
• Be sure to have a string of supporters in case one leaves the company
• Have a mentor for guidance and someone speaking up for you around the “decision-making” table.
• Know that upward mobility is very competitive. Only so many [people] can get through the “pyramid” that has a lot of room at the bottom, but little at the top.