First Gen Everything: The Rules No One Teaches You at Work w/ Fadjanie Cadet
When no one has done it before you, youre not just doing the jobyoure figuring out the rules in real time.
You rent your job title, but you own your narrative.
Summary:
What if the reason you feel behind at work isnt you? Most first-generation professionals enter corporate spaces without a roadmapnavigating unwritten rules, hidden expectations, and systems that were never designed to be transparent. In this episode of BLKGirl Ambition, I sit down with Fadjanie CadetChief Change Experience Officer and organizational strategistto break down the rules no one teaches you at work. We talk about:
* The influence of her first gen Haitian American background
* Why merit alone isnt enough
* The power of visibility, relationships, and self-advocacy
* The mindset shift from what am I missing? to what is the system failing to make clear?
* How to own your narrative and move with intention
Fadjanie shares how her first-generation experience shaped the way she leads, builds, and navigates corporate spacesand why community is more than support, its infrastructure. If youve ever felt like you were learning the rules too late or questioning whether you belong, this episode will shift how you see yourselfand the system. Because you were never behind. You were building without a blueprint.
Keywords:
First-Generation, Workplace Politics, Unwritten Rules, Black Women in Corporate, Corporate, Career Pivot, Layoff, Networking, Immigrant, Self-Advocacy, Career Growth, Visibility, Community
Takeaways:
First-generation professionals often navigate workplaces without access to unwritten rules and insider knowledge
Corporate success is not purely merit-basedvisibility, relationships, and perception matter
Many early career gaps are structural, not personal
Self-advocacy and storytelling are critical to career growth
Building a clear narrative around your impact is essential for advancement
Networking is not transactionalits community and access to opportunity
Organizations often rely on implicit knowledge, creating barriers to fairness
Disruption (like layoffs) can be an opportunity to redefine your identity and value
Your job title is temporaryyour skills, perspective, and impact are not
Authenticity and ownership of your experience are key to long-term success
Chapter Summary:
00:00 Episode Introduction & Guest Overview
03:00 First-Gen Upbringing & Early Identity
08:00 Responsibility, Pressure & Parenting Perspectives
12:00 Early Career Lessons & Meritocracy Myth
15:00 Self-Advocacy & Building a Business Case
18:00 Reframing Structural vs. Personal Gaps
20:00 Workplace Design & Implicit Rules
24:00 Networking, Community & Career Access
26:00 First-Gen Identity in Corporate Spaces
28:00 Finding Language for Lived Experience
30:00 Layoffs, Identity & Career Disruption
32:00 Owning Your Narrative & Career Value
34:00 Black Women & Workforce Shifts
37:00 Staying Grounded Through Uncertainty
39:00 Authenticity & Career Growth
41:00 Redefining Ambition & Success
43:00 Closing & Final Reflections
Get in Touch with Fadjanie:
LinkedIn: Fadjanie Cadet
Email: Fadjaniecadet@meettheccxo.com
Website: www.meettheccxo.com
Thanks for all your love and support. Tag me while listening @blkgirlambition and @glamourgirlniya
If you have episode ideas, questions for me, or would like to be featured as a guest send me an email, niya@blkgirlambition.com
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