Find the work you love by Maria Celeste Arraras

Read about María Celeste Arrarás’ experience as a member of the Women@NBCU advisory board and as a woman at NBC Universal in our series where we hear from employees across the company.

I remember the day Telemundo announced I would be joining the network. It was the same day the FCC approved NBC Universal’s acquisition of Telemundo. I always look at that as the best day of my career because of what was to come. In the seven years that I’ve been with the company, I’ve had more opportunities than I ever could have imagined %u2014 guest-hosting Today, contributing to NBC’s Dateline and NBC Nightly News, even appearing on NBC’s soap opera Passions.

Now I have the opportunity to be a part of a new think tank, Women@NBCU. Advertisers are trying to tap into the fast-growing Hispanic audience, especially Hispanic women, who are overwhelmingly responsible for making their family’s purchasing decisions. But they don’t always know the best way to go about it. That’s why it’s so important to have Telemundo represented.

nteracting with other women at this company is an empowering experience for me. I’ve learned that when you love what you’re doing and you see that you have the support of a company that lets you grow, respects your opinion, and gives you a place of consideration, you can really thrive. I think that support has prompted me to give above and beyond what is expected.

Along the way there have been situations I have had to confront, both personally and professionally. Like going through a divorce and figuring out what is best for your children. I’ve learned how to be successful in my job without having to sacrifice my relationship with my children, and how principles and my word are so important in this business. I also realized that sometimes as young women (and men), we so often pass up career opportunities because we follow the wishes of others instead of listening to our own needs. I learned a lot about that from my own mother, who followed her own mother’s advice instead of paving her own path. I learned from that and sacrificed many personal situations for a while so that I was able to achieve my career.

I’ve been lucky and successful as a woman, as a mother, and as a professional. I think you have to live your life by a certain set of principles and they have to be your True North. In order to be successful in every area of your life, you first have to be successful as a human being. If you’re successful as a human being, you will feel satisfied at the end with whatever you have and most likely, it will be everything that you dream of.