Janice Burns, Chief Career Experience Officer at Degreed, explains how people can build fulfilling careers by building the right skills, communicating their value and following their passion.
What links psychology, teaching, marketing, and learning? My career has transformed several times since my early days studying psychology. Over that time, I’ve learned that building a meaningful and purposeful career requires courage, the ability to adapt and learn, and an understanding of both the art and science of career management. Before you can successfully craft a career that challenges and excites you, you must first become your own career architect. One who can design a career with a strong foundation and a solid structure.
Pivoting is something we once associated with the start-up world but it’s becoming the mainstay of all careers. Disruption is on the horizon and all jobs, all careers, will be impacted in one way or another. For some people, your role may shift overnight and require new skills. For others, you may choose alternative means of challenging yourself, through side gigs, for example, or changing industries completely.
Whatever your career choices, I recommend always turning back to the same fundamental steps to shape your career journey:
1. Find your areas of passion and work them into your career plans
After an emotionally intense summer working with very sick children, I decided psychology wasn’t for me and became a public school teacher in Harlem. This was when I encountered true education and learning inequality.
The experiences (and grades) of these children, who were labelled with behavioural problems and left with little-to-no expectations, would shape their careers for the rest of their lives. It was then that I realised that it was a systemic problem – something I am still fighting to solve.
2. Know your value. Develop the skills you need to increase this.
3. Learn from your connections (mentors, sponsors, advocates etc.) and find your career tribe
4. Watch for opportunities that support your career goals. Go for them (even if you think you’re not quite ready).
Unfortunately, it’s known that women don’t go for career opportunities unless they are 100% qualified for them (men, meanwhile, apply when 60% qualified). This is selling yourself short as it doesn’t fully value your career and learning potential.
Likewise, don’t feel like you have to make a career move because it’s offered to you. At one point, after several years working in HR as a Business Partner who helped to start and grow a global product and services function, I was asked to take on the Chief Diversity Officer role again. Instead, I chose to double-hat, doing my previous role and the diversity role simultaneously as I didn’t want to be pigeonholed. I also started looking for my successor almost immediately (to prepare and train them).
That said, if you do have to take a position that doesn’t serve your long-term goals, learn everything you can from it. Transferable and social skills will serve you in any role, help you make significant career shifts, and future proof your career.
Taking the best next step
When you take those first steps in your career, you’re not going to know where you’ll end up. You may start off in one sector and move to another because of external factors, or you may discover a childhood dream wasn’t, in fact, for you. You may embrace the urge to set-up your own business. Or, you may have to take on a short-term role because of financial or family commitments. Remember, every step of your career builds your skills, your knowledge and makes you a unique individual to work with and employ.
When you’re on a journey where you cannot see the end of the road, you must use your passion to guide you. Even if you take detours, always return to your original purpose. Consider the legacy that you want to leave the world. For me, that’s making sure that everyone, regardless of their education, degree (or lack of it) and background, has access to the economic market. Use your skills to make a difference and do something you feel passionate about – the economics will (ultimately) take care of themselves.