Significant Career Lesson From a Chief of Staff Finance at PagerDuty
Andrew, Chief of Staff, Finance at PagerDuty, emphasizes the importance of "owning your career," actively considering what one enjoys, what is financially viable, and where growth opportunities lie; then, communicating these aspirations to others opens unexpected doors and accelerates career progression.
Career Development, Networking, Career Exploration, Communication, Executive/Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Andrew La Follette
Chief of Staff, Finance
PagerDuty
University of Arizona, 2012
UCLA MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Technology
Finance
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Take ownership of your career by identifying your interests, financial needs, and growth areas.
2. Actively research and plan for your career's future, allowing for evolution.
3. Communicate your career aspirations to others to uncover unanticipated opportunities and gain valuable insights.
Transcript
What is one lesson you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
I think the one lesson I've learned is that you have to kind of own your career. It sounds cliché, but it's actually so true once you start to think about what that means.
Owning your career means thinking about it at the crossroads of what you enjoy, what will make you money to survive, and where the areas are for growth. You think about your career from that perspective and find what you want, but you also have to consider the future: where do you want to get to? This can evolve as you go through your career, but you have to be thinking about these things.
The third component is telling people what you want to do in your career. I can't stress enough the importance of just telling people and talking to them about your career. You never know when somebody might give you an idea, like, "You'd be great at this role," or "Have you explored this role?"
As the person telling them, you might not even know those roles or opportunities exist. Then you can research them and find they're perfect for you. Someone might also say they're looking for someone for that role, or their boss is.
Telling people what you want to do in your career, after you've thought about it, is probably the most important thing you can do. If you never tell your boss, friends, or family, then it's all on you to get it done. By talking to people, you'll open up new opportunities and ideas you might not have considered before.
So, think about your career, research it, consider the future, and tell people about it. That's the advice I'd give.