3 Things That Accelerated My Career Trajectory Working in Tech
My career working in technology spans almost 20 years now. Here I reflect on my early career and three things that made a difference.
I hope that sharing offers some value to others considering their next move or who feel stuck. Now, let’s dive in.
Move Country
Travelling and living abroad expands the mind: new cultures, new experiences and new opportunities.
I left a good job at IBM to travel to Australia with four good friends for a year. A year in Australia led to almost 3, followed by a move to New Zealand, where I spent seven years.
Backpacking and career don’t necessarily mix. So get the travel out of your system first. Once I did, I settled in Wellington, New Zealand. The environment was suitable. It’s a creative city with plenty of opportunities in Tech. I realised I could ‘reset’ and explore many areas I wanted to work directly within.
Get Good at Communicating
In New Zealand, I spent a large portion of my time working in I.T. Consulting.
One of the skills I invested in developing was communicating effectively. I got good at stakeholder management and developing my ability to take complex technical project details and articulate the information clearly to business stakeholders.
I invested energy in understanding my audience, honing my written and verbal communications and consistently delivering a clear, well-articulated message. It proved valuable.
Start before you’re Ready
Don’t settle for the role you have today. If you’re passionate about your work and see things can be better, say so. If you have good ideas grounded in solid business benefits, speak up. Put yourself forward to present, pitch, and do things that push you out of your comfort zone!
The days of waiting to be ready for the next promotion are fading. I found my passion for leading people. A new role in the leadership team came up where I was working. I went for it and got it. I poured everything I had into that role. I learned so much about leading people and growing a successful business.
