Fireside Chat with Tanya Alcorn,

Senior Vice President, Sterile Injectables and Biotech Operations at Pfizer

Women Back to Work recently partnered with Pfizer, the nation’s premier biopharmaceutical company, to implement a Returnship Program for those returning to work after taking a career break.

Leading up to the hiring was Pfizer’s ‘Returnship event’ that brought together several Executives highlighting their commitment to the program and the community.  Tanya Alcorn, Senior Vice President, Sterile Injectables and Biotech Operations, shared valuable insights for women embarking on the return-to-work journey. We want to reshare her advice as many of our Returners are being onboarded in their new Returnship jobs.

Continue reading for an edited excerpt of Lisa Duerre’s exclusive interview with Tanya as she offers insight into the inner workings of the Pfizer Returnship Program and how it has empowered more women to return to the workforce. She also explains the significance of mentorship and creating a more inclusive work culture. Here’s wishing our Returners at Pfizer an enriching and rewarding career.

Why is getting Women Back to Work important to you, your organization, and your community?

Tanya Alcorn: There’s so much untapped talent among women out there, and we want to bring these incredible women into our workforce at Pfizer. We’ve got plenty of open roles here and we want to cast our net far and wide to attract the most talented, diverse, and skilled individuals to come join our team.

Taking time off to raise children, to care for a sick loved one, or to try a new business venture doesn’t take away from someone’s skills, abilities, knowledge, work ethic, etc. Diverse backgrounds and life experiences are what make us unique and stronger as an organization. Not everyone’s career path is linear, and that’s ok! In fact, in many cases, it’s beneficial!

We want to give women opportunities to continue growing and thriving in their careers, even if they pressed “pause” for a bit, for whatever reason.

What is your view on sponsorship? Why does it matter? What is the one thing that women re-entering the workforce/rebuilding their careers can do to find mentors, ask, or enlist sponsors or allies? 

Tanya Alcorn: I’m fortunate to have had many mentors, sponsors, and managers over the course of my career who challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to use my voice. As leaders, it’s important that we advocate for others and help to draw out their strengths and harness their true potential. Sponsors are so important because they are there in the room when you are not, and they can help advocate for you and your capabilities.

For women re-entering the workforce and rebuilding their careers, my advice is to be really intentional about building your network and cultivating meaningful relationships. Get a mentor right off the bat and join the company’s Employee and Community Resource Groups. Start to build your network. For me, a network is really another name for your community. That community that will be there to support you, and vice versa.

Find leaders whose leadership style you admire – reach out to them and ask if they would meet with you for 20 minutes to understand their career journey and hear their advice, add them on LinkedIn to continue following their story. Don’t be afraid to do that! Trust me, the vast majority of the time, they will be willing to help you, meet with you and offer guidance.

Many of our Returners are moms who gave up on their professional growth. Do you believe it is possible to ‘have it all’ – a rewarding career and a family?

Tanya Alcorn: I think it’s possible to have a thriving career and a family… but you can’t be afraid to ask for help. I have three wonderful kids (ages 7-14), and I consider myself to be a very active, present, involved mom… but let me tell you… it takes a village to manage their schedules and make sure they’ve got everything they need to be happy and healthy!

Luckily, I have a very supportive husband and an AMAZING support system at work. My team, my manager and my overall work environment help to give me the flexibility I need so that I can be where I need to be. The culture at Pfizer is one that really celebrates who we are as people and allows us to really integrate our families into our work life.

You also need to be very deliberate about your choices and priorities. For everyone, those boundaries are different. For me, I will never miss any of my kids’ recitals, concerts, and those special events that we as a family have agreed are a priority.  I communicate those openly to my team and I place blocks on my calendar as I need to take time off. I also have aging parents who I need to take to doctor’s appointments at certain times, so I make sure to book those on my calendar as well.  Conversely, there are times I need to prioritize work and I’m clear with my family to explain “the why” behind those meetings, work trips, etc., and make sure they’re on our family calendar.

So, my three things to keep in mind would be:

1. Ask for help. Always speak up and ask for the flexibility and accommodation that you need.
2. Prioritize your “To-Dos” and focus on the tasks with the most importance / impact.
3. Take care of yourself – physically and mentally. Go for a walk, even during the middle of a crazy workday. Take time to disconnect and turn your mind to something besides work. I love going for a walk or run and listening to podcasts!

In the end, my motto and mantra to myself is… You can only do your best and nothing more. Some days you will feel like you have mastered it and other days you will not, and that is ok. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Leverage your network and village!

How can returners step out of their comfort zone and open themselves up to new opportunities? 

Tanya Alcorn: Looking back on my career, I can say with confidence that some of my most impactful and valuable career moves were roles or opportunities that, to be honest, scared me a bit and were ones I never really “saw” in my vision for my career journey. They were roles that REALLY made me uncomfortable … that kind of uncomfortable that puts a knot in your stomach.

Either I didn’t feel ready to take that next step, or I thought I couldn’t “do it all” and juggle family and personal responsibilities, or I was worried it was a decision I would somehow regret. And I can tell you –in my experience, those opportunities were some truly career-defining moves. Thankfully, I had people who supported me, who pushed me past my fear and advocated for me, and that made all the difference.

So, my biggest advice is to simply get comfortable being uncomfortable. If a role scares you a little bit, run toward it. You’re in the “driver’s seat” of your career. You’re in control! Pfizer embraces “zig-zag” moves… meaning, non-linear career moves. If you’re working in one area and are interested in a completely different department, Pfizer will find ways to give you exposure and experience in that new area.

We’re very much supportive and encouraging of our colleagues trying new things and putting their skills and experiences into a new challenge or a new discipline. And remember – you can be your own worst enemy and hold yourself back. When you are debating a move, talk it out loud with several people you trust in your network. Don’t just debate it in your head with yourself!

You played a pivotal role in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. It was a challenging time for the world. How did you approach your own burnout prevention? What do you believe is the number one contributor to burnout and what is your organization doing to help prevent it?

Tanya Alcorn: Sometimes I look back at that time and think, “how did we do that?” It truly was this unbelievable and unprecedented time for us.  It’s incredible what our teams were able to achieve in such a short time…but let me tell you, it took a LOT of long nights and unwavering focus. The stakes were so high, and the pressure was on, so burnout was a very real thing for many people, and we tried to not ignore it but really be open and discuss it. We checked in a lot on each other.

I personally tried to always stick to my boundaries. As we were all working from home, I would step away every day for at least an hour and go for a walk or some type of exercise. I also always ensured we had family dinner together (since all the kids’ activities were cancelled!) and then once the kids were in bed, I would log back in for a bit if needed.

And again, I wasn’t afraid to ask for help. My team and I would lean on each other, talk about our challenges and I was always open with my manager about any of my challenges. We did a lot of virtual #joy sessions… happy hours, virtual team buildings and we were open about the fact we were all working from home with kids/dogs in the mix. It did lighten things up a bit!

If you are interested in learning more about the Pfizer Returnship program and applying to the roles – please visit Pfizer Returnships (womenbacktowork.org)