There are those who study for years and years to establish their career and then there are those who fall into what they do. I am part of the second camp, although I sometimes do think it wasn’t so accidental.
I was a language graduate. Marketing was something I knew very little about.
So how does a linguist end up in an agency? Firstly, I was open to all sorts of opportunities. I started to apply to any job that was looking for someone who spoke another language. I didn’t stop to think about the sector or job. I was a hungry and ambitious graduate who was excited about getting out there, learning and making money.
My experience has taught me a couple of things about finding your career:
1. Focus on your skills
We can often become obsessed about job titles and forget that our skills can help shape the roles we are able to land. I was able to land a job at an agency as I was to be put on a French account. My skill secured me the job, not my knowledge of Marketing in this instance.
Sharpen your skill set as this is what will help you to stand out and enable you to go for roles that you didn’t even know existed.
2. If you can do the role 100% then it’s not the role for you
I attended a Google workshop ‘I am remarkable’ a few years ago that focused on supporting women in the workplace as we are often less likely to apply for roles unless we firmly believe we possess all of the skill set required in comparison to our counterparts. We often feel deflated if we have applied for a role, and the recruiter tells us that we don’t match what they are looking for. It can make you feel that you need to meet every aspect of the role to do it. The truth is, if you can do 100% of the role then you shouldn’t be doing it anyway. You always want to look for a role that will stretch you otherwise you’ll become bored very quickly.
3. Think 2 steps ahead
When I started to manage people in my role, I quickly noticed something that made a difference in the trajectory of people’s careers. Those who owned their career journey, and those who waited for others to give it to them. I was someone who was seeking validation in the early part of my career, constantly waiting for someone to give me a break, a promotion, an opportunity. When these didn’t come I started to lack confidence in my ability as a marketer. I’d often think that I was a fraud in this space (imposter syndrome). I didn’t have a marketing degree or a chartered institute of marketing diploma. I questioned whether this was the career for me.
However when I started to own my career, own my journey, seek out my own opportunities, and start to be braver about asking for what I wanted then something happened. There was a shift. My career was developing into what I wanted and I was clearer about my steps before someone tried to lay them out for me.
4. Be open
Becoming more open to the windy journey of my career has helped me discover new areas. After being made redundant, I decided to make the leap into becoming a contractor which allowed me to jump into a new sector. I couldn’t have imagined doing that before however being more open to the opportunities – side move, a complete 360 move, or a 3 steps up move – all enable growth and momentum.
5. Family
My career doesn’t define me. I’ll say that again, my career doesn’t define me. I was someone who saw my career as everything in those early years but as I matured in my profession, I also became aware that those ‘risks’ I took were thanks to a supportive and loving family. I couldn’t do any of it without the network of support I have. I do this all for them, and now becoming a mother makes me want to turbo-charge my career even more. If you’re returning to work soon, take a look at this blog to help inspire that transition. Don’t forget there are many sides to who you are and each helps with the other aspect of your life.
How did you get into your career? Share your story below.