“透視《財富》500強”是一個互動社區,《財富》500強公司的高管們在此和全球讀者交流思想并提供領導建議。本期,信安金融集團高級副總裁兼首席營銷官貝絲·布雷迪回答了下列問題:“感覺自己的職業生涯陷入停滯時該怎樣向前邁進?” 上大學,拿學位,找讓自己高興的工作,然后養活自己,這樣的情節大家都很熟悉。那么,順利發展了幾年后,你會覺得自己已經為邁出新的一步做好了準備。如果在這個時候覺得自己被困住了,那就往往意味著今后的職業發展會轉向其他行業。 我就是這么做的。我成為首席營銷官的路徑并非一條直線。最初我在消費品行業工作,我熱愛這個行業,但最終我意識到自己不具備數字和數據分析技能,無法實現成為首席營銷官的夢想。懷著這樣的心情,我轉而進入了金融服務業。 如果大家覺得自己陷入停滯,可以用下列方法來推進自己的職業生涯: 清點自己的資產 你的實力和技能可以讓你在本行業中具有競爭力嗎?如果沒有,就制定讓自己升級的計劃。能幫你的資源很充足,比如培訓團體和行業從業人員協會,以及《你的降落傘是什么顏色》(What Color Is Your Parachute?)等職場參考書籍。它們可以幫你找出自己的優勢,這樣你就可以集中精力來加以運用。 剛開始工作時有人告訴我,用90%的時間來做自己擅長的事情,只把10%的時間花在不擅長的東西上。發揮并增強自身優勢會讓你前進的更快,而且還能一直通過學習新技能來擴充自己的優勢。 嘗試一些完全不同的東西 大家可以通過接觸此前從未做過的事情來完善自己的技能覆蓋面。舉例來說,目前我所在的公司充斥著大數據和分析,這讓我得以提升自己的研究水平并擴展研究范圍。在職業生涯早期擔任總經理時,我從未有機會全身心地投入技術性技能學習之中。 自身技能轉變的順利程度會讓你感到驚喜。新雇主會從你的嶄新觀點中看到價值,因為你給他們帶去了新的知識、方法和技能。我的觀點都以消費者為核心,從包裝消費品公司轉到金融服務公司后,這些觀點變得極為寶貴,因為大多數金融服務企業都不會這么重視最終用戶。 做社區服務 做志愿者是學習新技能并展示自身實力的絕佳途徑。非營利組織更愿意讓你做一些并非自身專項的工作。我的第一份志愿工作是為特奧會籌劃一項大型活動,從中汲取的領導經驗讓我在后來負責保薦通用磨坊食品公司上市的過程中得到了幫助。 更重要的是,要向前邁進,你對自己的工作就得有很高的熱情。要確保你做的事能把自己所在的項目和自己的熱情聯系在一起。我很喜歡策劃廣告、舉辦活動和制作內容,從而幫助消費者做出正確的財務決策。在這個紛繁復雜的世界里,如果你的宣傳沒意思表達也不清晰,消費者就會直接把你忽略掉。工作熱情激勵著我有所作為。(財富中文網) 譯者:Charlie 校對:詹妮 |
The Fortune 500 Insiders Network is an online community where top executives from the Fortune 500 share ideas and offer leadership advice with Fortune’s global audience. Beth Brady, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Principal, has answered the question: “How do you move ahead when you feel stuck in your career?” You know the story: You go to college, get a degree, and take a job that makes you happy and pays the bills. Then, after years of success, you feel you’re ready for the next move. If you feel stuck at this point, going forward in your career often means switching industries. That’s what I did. My path to becoming a chief marketing officer was not a straight line. I began in the consumer goods industry, which I loved, but eventually realized I wasn’t developing the digital and data analytics skills needed to realize my dream of becoming a chief marketing officer. With that in mind, I moved into the financial services sector. Here’s how you can move ahead in your career if you feel stuck: Take stock of your assets Do you have the strengths and skills necessary to be competitive in your industry? If not, create a plan to get to the next level. There are plenty of resources available to help you, such as mentoring groups and industry associations for networking. Career-advice books, such as What Color Is Your Parachute?, can help you figure out your strengths, so you can focus on using them. I was told early in my career to spend 90% of my time doing what I’m good at and only 10% on what I’m not. You’ll move forward faster when you’re using and developing your strengths. And you can add to them by learning new skills along the way. Try something completely different You can round out your skill set by taking a job that exposes you to something you haven’t done before. For example, I am now in a company that is steeped in big data and analytics, allowing me to strengthen and expand my research chops. Working as a general manager early in my career, I didn’t have an opportunity to immerse myself in learning technical skills. You’ll be amazed by how well your skills transfer. Your new employer will find value in your fresh perspective, because you bring new knowledge, processes, and skills to the table. My consumer-focused perspective was invaluable when transitioning from a consumer packaged goods company to a financial services company, since most of those organizations do not put as much emphasis on the end user. Do community service Volunteering is an excellent way to learn new skills and demonstrate your expertise. Nonprofit organizations are more willing to allow you to do something in which you may not be an expert. My first volunteer work was creating a big event with the Special Olympics. The leadership experience I gained in that role helped me when I later led sponsorship activities for General Mills. Most importantly, to move ahead you need to have a strong passion for your role. Make sure you do things that will allow you to work on projects related to your passion. I love creating advertising, events, and content to help consumers make the right financial decisions. In our cluttered world, consumers will pass right over you if you’re not interesting and clear. My passion for my work motivates me to make an impact. |