What Media Executives Think: Careers

It’s refreshing to think about how many significant changes have taken place in the last year. The energy and pace seem to indicate that we have accepted the “new normal” and that we have made a difference this year.

I like to reflect on the performance of our business and the opportunities and challenges we face before we head into the year-end seasonal slide. One of the factors I have been thinking about over the past few weeks is the concept of career building.

As a business built on skills, personal passion and teamwork, it is of utmost importance to me to help my team build careers. A career is the overall professional journey of an employee over time and represents the progression of a person. A career is built on skill development, long-term goals, achievements and personal fulfillment. A job is about the duties you perform for compensation. While the two are interrelated, our team must do more than just a job and MediaHeads 360 must also be the space where we achieve our career milestones.

As I built my career, I experienced several people-influenced factors that contributed to the trajectory of my career.

Treat it like your own business: A professional environment needs to be symbiotic. All those who contribute to a project or company need to receive value. The mistake we make when working is that we don’t take responsibility and make it our own. If you were starting a business, would you act the same way or differently? The fact is that you are building a business that is intrinsically linked to your skills, abilities and personal input. The more you grow your personal brand/business, the more value you bring to your clients (aka your employer). As a young professional, I never thought about this in my first few jobs, but after being exposed to the concept of the career value chain, I changed my attitude towards growing “my own” business.

invest: Freelancers understand the concept of investing in their careers as it gives them an edge. New skills, updated thinking and approaches, and an enhanced network. This is crucial for freelancers as it is part of the value they add when hired for a project. Don’t wait for your employer or company to suggest a learning and growth intervention. Be proactive in improving your skills. Even if it doesn’t seem to bring immediate benefits, it will make you more attractive as a potential future employee. Careers are built on a series of decisions and events, not a single intervention.

Mentoring: Mentorship remains a critical yet under-the-radar part of a career. I view mentorship as a three-way relationship between the organization, the mentor, and the mentee that has value for each party.

The most obvious benefit is to the mentee. Mentoring, support and increased confidence help mentees make better decisions over time and encourage them to take on new challenges and responsibilities. In addition to this, they can expand their network for future opportunities and collaborations.

For mentors, it improves their mentoring and communication skills. The process makes you a better listener and helps you structure your feedback and guidance. Mentoring is also an opportunity to be exposed to new ideas, techniques, and concepts outside of your established field, an ideal growth opportunity!

For organizations, mentor/apprentice relationships can foster a culture of learning, growth, and support. This benefits both new and veteran talent, and can be challenging for both parties. Mentoring can also foster a culture of knowledge transfer, including best practices and skills. Over time, the process can also promote a more diverse and inclusive leadership structure.

Change: Careers change directions and gears. Know when it’s time to move on. The decision to leave an organization is sometimes easy. A new opportunity with more benefits and greater scope aligned with personal goals. A no-brainer. It gets more complex as your career progresses. The factors of change in mid- to senior-level career decisions are very different than those at a junior level. Don’t be afraid of change, use your experience and insight to evaluate your options and values. It’s okay that professional relationships may end when the value of mutual benefit runs out. Be agile in approach, honest in expectations, and clear in communication. If you’ve worked hard to develop your value proposition, it will provide you with opportunities and facilitate the ability to change.

fulfill: This is when I came up with the Wham Wrap. “Do you love what you do?” An overall sense of fulfillment is a big part of having a career instead of a job. I’m always shocked when I meet people who change careers after thirty years in one industry. Purpose and personal achievement goals can change. Do what you love.

As we head into December of 2024, take this opportunity to think about your career and see if it’s time for a change of season. Happy Spring!