Tag Archives: estratégico y sostenible

rEvolución

evolution_ringCurioso como la palabra revolución esta compuesta en gran parte por la palabra evolución, ¿verdad?

La evolución, lejos de ser destructiva – como se tiende a percibir las revoluciones – es desarrollo gradual, crecimiento o mejoría.

Y ¿que conlleva a la evolución en tu vida laboral?

Los cambios.  Poco revolucionario, ¿verdad?

Es decir, hacer lo mismo día tras día, quedarte en tu zona de comodidad y  vivir lo esperado, son formas seguras de estancarte profesionalmente – y de no evolucionar. (Y seria tan desquiciante como ver el pasto crecer)

Entre las posibilidades de cambio están: aceptar diferentes (o mas) responsabilidades dentro de tu mismo puesto; cambiar de puesto dentro de la misma compañía; cambiar de compañía o industria – a un puesto similar; o cambiar de carrera.

Encuentro sorprendente que la ultima opción – cambiar de carrera – cause mas que todo pavor en vez de emoción al común de las personas.  Según he escuchado a muchos comentar, creen que cuando se cambia de carrera, se empieza de cero.  Buscando romper ese tabú – y apoyar tu evolución profesional – aquí comparto que después de hacer mas cambios en mi carrera de lo que es prudente admitir, sé que eso no es así:

  1. La transferencia de conocimientos es inevitable.  Al cambiar de carrera, rápidamente te darás cuenta que existen denominadores comunes entre carreras, puestos y compañías. Hasta cuando pasé de trabajar en cocinas de hoteles y restaurantes, al mundo de oficinas en el sector corporativo, llevé conmigo un sentido agudo de planeacion y manejo de mi tiempo.  Ambas competencias deseadas en el mundo corporativo.Entonces, así como dicen las instrucciones al respaldo de la botella de tu shampoo, para evolucionar profesionalmente debes:  Aprender – Transferir – Evolucionar – Repetir ad infinitum.
  2. Tener un punto de vista distinto te diferencia – y eso te lo dará una formación no convencional.  Si no me crees, piensa en Unilever – un líder en el mercado de productos masivos – cuyo principal valor es la diversidad.  Se han dado cuenta que las mejores soluciones son producidas por equipos de trabajos diversos.
  3. Tomar riesgos – como lo hacen aquellos que cambian de carrera – es visto como una fortaleza por la gran mayoría de empleadores. 

Así que dale tranquila. No te conformes – es una de las formas mas poderosas de rEvolucionar tu carrera.

13 and counting…

Today, to celebrate my blog’s first anniversary,  I’m writing my 100th post.  It’s about my 13th job. 

That I’m up to job 13 means that I continue to stay faithful to my self-proclamation – as a strategic job hopper. 

I am now working as the commercial director at an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of medical supplies.

That said, rest assured that I will continue to blog – and to work on my book projects.  That’s another pact I’ve made with my readers.  I even have some inspiration to drive me through my back-to-back schedule as a writer and employee (and wife).   The other day I came across a CEO of a 50,000-large organization who blogs.  Logic tells me that if he can, well I can too. I say.  And it’s been 2 months since I’ve been keeping my pact – with you.  So far, so good…

In the spirit of keeping it real, here I answer questions I’d be asking about the change I’ve just made in my career.

How does it feel to be back on high heels and a business suit?  

As much as I loved my jeans/t-shirt & bare-footed existence (while I was writing full-time), I’m enjoying the change.  It feels kinda’ good to dress up.

Is my work-life still being guided by my reason for being?

Absolutely.  I would not have it any other way.

In addition to waking up every day as a writer with the vision to inspire and empower people to create, follow and  succeed on their own  path –  my vision as commercial director is:

To defend the safety of patients (yours and mine).

I’ll elaborate.

The OEM I work with is my family’s business.  For close to three decades this small giant has been manufacturing disposable medical supplies – like syringes and catheters.  Our company was born to produce high quality medical supplies – not a small feat in a Latin American country.  In fact we’re the only Latin American OEM supplying the market – the rest are multinationals. 

Why have I made it my vision to defend the safety of patients? 

At the risk of getting in trouble, I will share with you what I learned in my 60-day induction to the healthcare system in Colombia. 

After traveling around, visiting some of the largest hospitals and meeting with providers of health-care products (i.e. drug-store chains), it’s quite evident that most buying decisions are being made by administrators – not scientific commitees or nurses and doctors.  It’s obvious that the main driver is cost reduction, not quality or the improvemet of patient safety.  Priorities are inverted.  Product sterility and patient safety are often last on a long list of commercial priorities. 

As a manufacturing outfit, that for close to three decades has been following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and is certified by world-class regulatory bodies (ISO-9001-2001) – we know what it takes to manufacture high quality goods.  And this is where we differ from most of our competitors.  In other words, most lower cost products being used at hospitals and being sold at drugstores across the country, have not passed the test of our quality assurance laboratory. 

It’s these findings that set me on the path to defend the safety of patients. 

Simply put, if I, as a manufacturer don’t fight for patient safety, then who will? 

And that, my friend, is another fulfilling reason to wake up for everyday.

So was it nepotism the main reason behind my appointment at my family’s business?

Valid question – I’d be wondering that too if I were you. 

The answer is a resounding no.  

I pose the question on your behalf to share with every aspiring strategic job hopper the number one insight I’ve gained after more than a decade of hoping around jobs: (drum roll please…)

Every single job has a reason for being in your career. 

(Read that one more time – and make a mental note.)

Right now it may not be obvious to you what that is, but nonetheless, there a reason behind every experience.  Taking from my own path, not so long ago I discovered the reason behind my tour de force through the healthcare industry in Australia. 

Starting out, I had no idea that I would one day work in my family’s business.  That possibility was not a reality when I accepted my first, second, third or fourth job in the health-care industry in Australia.  On top of that, a decade ago when I moved to Sydney, Australia, I had no idea that years later I’d be coming back home.

The opportunity opened up a few months ago.  And because of my experience, because I endured stapling papers and stuffing envelopes as a marketing coordinator; waiting ad-infinitum in doctors’ offices as a medical sales representative; using my right brain to understand complex market data as a consultant; and finally (almost) giving blood as a national sales and marketing manager at a start-up malpractrice insurance company – I am now ready to cease this opportunity.  Which at times, I admit, feels like a dream come true.  Yes, I now feel that every single experience is an integral part of my career puzzle. (yes, even the time when my boss wrote me a memo for refusing to order a cab for another manager or the time when…) 

Yes reader, I have arrived. 

Being that I am now working with my family, does that mean that my job hopping days have come to an end?  Must I now remove ‘strategic job hopper’ from my blog’s heading? 

It’s hard to say – mostly because more than ever, I’m aware of my modus-operandi – and hence I’m open to the possibility that I will eventually seek out other opportunities.  Because…why not?

In line with my strategy, I am giving my current job my absolute best. That’s mostly because that’s how I know how to work.  It’s also because it is my family’s business. And lastly, it’s because I recognize that I have no idea what the future will bring.  That means that my professional track record is still on the line.  In fact, delivering results matters more now than it ever has. And more than ever, I feel prepared to deliver.

Will this blog be about strategic job-hopping?

Actually, it never has been.  Since day one, my writing,  has been  guided by my vision to inspire and empower people to create, follow and  succeed on their own path. 

While I strongly advocate strategic job-hopping, that is not the driver behind my writing. Inspiration and empowerment are.

That means that my posts will remain faithful to this vision.  Now they will benefit from my new experiences – as a commercial director in a Latin American country – with the perspective gained after more than two decades working, first in the US and then in Australia.

My advice to you:  stay tuned.  My blog has just grown up – it’s one year old!

Thank you all for your support during one of the most amazing years in my life.

Namaste.

Silvana

A New Kind of Hero for a New Kind of World, Hero #12

(This post is part of a pact I made. Click here for the full story.) 

Meet Rebecca.   Google her name and you will quickly learn that she’s a fellow strategic job hopper.  (long live!)

Her career started with a job in environmental consulting after she graduated from college with a BA in Interior Design and Environmental Studies. Then she worked at a nonprofit raising funds for several projects.  She strategically used that experience to apply – and be offered – the job as Executive Director at MAGNET – another nonprofit that since 2004 has been focused on identifying and retaining young talent in the Madison, Wisconsin area.  Looking for more national exposure, today Rebecca is part of the social media and marketing team over at Alice.com.  As their tag line goes: EVERYONE needs an Alice…NEVER run out of toilet paper (go see for yourself if you don’t believe me).  What da? National exposure  and start-up is the reason behind this job stop.  Rebecca also is the author behind the blog Modite.com.  That’s how we met – through the blogosphere, mainly because it’s so easy to read her blog for hours. 

That said, what drew me to her story is that above it all, Rebecca is a Gen Yer who’s quite vocal – and active in social media.   That’s because she’s one of those people who’s driven by the task of changing the world.  In her own words – taken from an interview over at Conversation Agent: “Generation Y wants to change the world. Not the environment. Not healthcare. Not education. Not poverty. Not racism. Not sexism. Not war. Not cancer. Not anything, really. Just the world. We want to change the world.”

Changing the world, that’s where Rebecca finds her career nirvana – that’s her reason for being.

And what is her contribution to this generational cause?

Risk taking. 

Looking to contribute – and in the end to lead an extraordinary life –  Rebecca has re-invented herself several times over. From working in consulting to the nonprofit sector, and now at a business start-up.  Being that I’m a firm believer that every single stop in our work-lives has a purpose – one that at times you may not be aware of, but it’s there for sure – it’s obvious that Rebecca is one to continue watching.  Her current stop in the business sector is just a launch-pad to something greater. 

World, just you watch!

In her words: “There was a moment each time I changed jobs that I was terrified. I kept thinking, ‘Who do you think you are? You are going to FAIL!’ It was awful. But then I remembered that failure is a better option than staying. That you should always be growing and challenging yourself. Otherwise, you settle. Settling is boring…. The main lesson I’ve learned is that life rewards risk-takers.”

Note to self: Next time that you find yourself sitting on the fence, ask yourself: “What does it mean to lead an extraordinary life?” Then start NOW.

Is there a method to Rebecca’s aparent career madness? You bet.

“I trust my intuition.”

Note to self:  Learn to listen and to trust yours.  Once you do, you will find that your intuition acts like a magnet for opportunnities.  Attracting into your life that what is meant to be – for your good and the greater good.  (this is not woo-woo – it’s the reason why you have gut feelings).

Rejoice! Strategic Job Hoppers

For those of you who haven’t heard, last week was important for job hoppers around the world. UpMo, an online service with the tag line: GPS Your Career, turned 1!

Taken from their website:

“Your greatest risk during tough times is not unemployment; it’s the risk of losing career control and direction.”

As a self-proclaimed strategic job hopper, I’m an advocate of tools that empower people to manage their careers strategically.  For several reasons, UpMo achieves that.

It offers:

  1. Customized feedback that’s supported by actionable advice.  The “Network Readiness Evaluator” takes about ten minutes to complete.  As its name implies, it rates your networking readiness.  More important, it also offers personalized advice on the areas that you can improve upon. (Hint: answer honestly – as if no one’s watching)
  2. Benchmarking information.  The team at UpMo was not afraid to set the bar high.  They reverse engineered the careers of professionals earning upwards of $200,000.  That means that their advice is based on the habits of high achievers, offering you a unique opportunity to size up your career against theirs.
  3. A powerful tool to plan your career with the end in mind.  UpMo has a tool which lets you play forward your career decisions. For example, it will help you find out how an MBA will impact your longer-term goals. And what about taking time off?  All based on the paths of high achievers.
  4. Visually appealing tools.  For visual learners, UpMo will feel like candy for your brain.  For those who have trouble visualizing, the colorful graphs are likely to kick start your mental juices.
  5. Tools and templates for you to apply their feedback.  Almost from the get go you can start working on the areas of your career that need improvement.  UpMo offers several straightforward tools like “My Action Plan” which helps you track your immediate, weekly, monthly and longer term progress.

Indeed, UpMo set out on an ambitious mission.  For now it’s delivering on its promises by offering users a one-stop-shop career planner.

Careerists of the world, what are you waiting for to move up?