Commencing
This post originally appeared on LinkedIn.
Photo by Jukan Tateisi on Unsplash
June is commencement season. From grade schools to graduate programs, these rites of passage commemorate achievement and mark the start of new beginnings. Careers to embark on. This year, coming out of the pandemic, the concept of commencement seems to hold broader appeal beyond graduating classes. After 18 months of isolated self-reflection, it's not surprising that many of us are considering new possibilities in our lives and careers.
Already dubbed by HR departments as the "Great Resignation," many companies are struggling with high employee turnover. While employees, for their part, are contemplating career moves that may have seemed too daunting pre-pandemic -- like, I don't know, trying to become an author, just as an example. COVID broke our routine, forced us to reassess our values, and afforded us all ample time to re-imagine our professional lives.
LinkedIn invited frequent contributors like myself to opine about this trend they're calling The Big Shift (#TheBigShift) and offer advice for people going through career transitions, as I have recently done myself. Kind of a virtual commencement address, but for people who aren't graduating anything except maybe their last job. So whether you're contemplating a small pivot or a major career change, here is my advice, derived from my 25-year career in Silicon Valley and distilled into five simple tips, on what to take into account as you commence.
Choose activities, not outcomes — Ours is a very achievement-oriented culture. Whether it's getting straight A's in school, quick promotions at work, or a successful exit for your startup, many of us -- particularly the type-A overachievers I've worked with in the Bay Area -- are motivated by outcomes. Goals are great, but too often people's sense of self-worth becomes inextricably linked to ambitious outcomes and the social status of achieving them. You need to love the journey, not just the destination. Outcomes are never guaranteed. In my career, I realized early that I love starting companies. Sure, I wanted those companies to be successful. Some were, many were not. But, regardless, I loved the primordial ooze of early-stage entrepreneurship. Because of that, one of my most cherished professional experiences was a company I founded that I ultimately had to shut down. It obviously wasn't the outcome I wanted, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
Bet on companies, not titles — Title chasing is probably the most common mistake I see people make, especially early in their careers. Most times when someone on my team has given notice, it was to become a director, or a VP, or a C-level exec at a worse company with worse prospects and worse people. Nobody will care if you're a VP at a company nobody has ever heard of (unless you're really learning a new skill, see next tip). Promotions and fancy titles will come if you bet on the right horse. By contrast, getting a lame horse to win the race is practically impossible, no matter how good you are. I learned this one the hard way -- jumping at an opportunity to be VP of Marketing (the title I wanted) at a social networking company that wasn't Facebook or LinkedIn. Right role, wrong horse. That didn't end well.
Learn skills, not politics -- The old adage says, "It's not what you know, it's who you know." While I agree professional relationships are important, pursuing networking over knowledge is almost always a mistake. In its extreme, it makes you political -- the kind of professional nobody likes. But I've also seen too many people change jobs just to "get the band back together" -- too often finding themselves stuck in the same role and not developing new skills. Changing jobs must be an opportunity to expand your skill set. That broadened base of professional expertise is what will propel your career over the long run.
Work with people who make you happy — Although it may sound contrary to my previous tip, the people you work with are the number one determinant of your happiness in your job. Even during quarantine, working with people you enjoy needs to be at the top of your reasons for (or against) a career change. It's a cliché, but only because it's true, that you spend more time with your co-workers than you do your immediate family and friends. Why would you want to be around people who make you miserable? Note, this advice does not mean choose your buddies, people you want as friends, or people who are just like you. Although they may become close friends, professional colleagues need to bring more to the table in terms of diverse backgrounds, skill sets, and life stages. Those will be the people you learn from the most.
Don't assume the grass is greener — Making major career decisions in the wake of a pandemic may not always be the best idea. Make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, not just because you're bored or restless. Any career transition means you're giving something up. Understand what that is. Be authentic about what is really motivating you and what you care about most. Be honest with yourself about why you're contemplating a career change. Those factors should be just as persistent and compelling as they would be under normal circumstances, notwithstanding the pandemic.
If you factor all this advice into your decision and feel you're making your career change, big or small, for the right reasons, then it's probably a great decision. While it may be a "big shift" -- perhaps even a plunge you're intimidated to take -- there may be no better time in your professional life to try something new. If you're hesitating, consider making a list of what's holding you back. Often, you'll realize that fear of the unknown is at the top of that list, as it was for me. Fear is not a reason. You'll have many careers. As long as it's well thought out, why not commence with what's next?