Significant Career Lesson From An Associate Director Of Contracts At A Fortune 500 Aerospace And Defense Company
Daria, an Associate Director at a Fortune 500 company, emphasizes the critical role of networking in career advancement, stating that "who you know is the most important thing." This insight highlights that while strong performance is vital, effective networking and identifying key decision-makers are equally, if not more, crucial for rapid career progression in corporate environments.
Networking, Career Development, Executive/Leadership, Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Daria Sayan
Associate Director, Contracts
Fortune 500 Aerospace & Defense Company
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Arizona, MBA
Legal & Policy, Business Management & Admin
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense, Government & Public Sector
Operations and Project Management
International Student, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Networking is crucial for career advancement.
2. Performance is important, but networking can be even more impactful.
3. Knowing key decision-makers can significantly accelerate career growth.
Transcript
What's one lesson you've learned that's proven significant in your career?
Who you know is the most important thing in relationships can often trump performance. While both are very important and people look at your track record, I've seen that most of the time people who go far and go far quickly, climb a lot because they're really good at networking.
I've learned that lesson because it's not just about putting your head down and doing tremendous work in this industry and Corporate America in general. It's also equally, if not more so, about doing your job to network and know who's important, who the decision-maker is, and who can help drive your career.