What A Chief Growth Officer At Switchboard Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Tech Industry
Heather wishes they had known to network before needing it, emphasizing that "networking constantly" builds trust and opens doors, even when not actively job searching. Building a strong network and finding mentors outside of one's company are crucial, as these connections can be a "saving grace" when exploring new opportunities and can even give less experienced candidates an edge.
Networking, Mentorship, Career Growth, Professional Development, Industry Insights
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Heather Trumpfheller
Chief Growth Officer
Switchboard -- https://globalswitchboard.io/
University of Missouri
Creative Writing, Journalism
Technology
Sales and Client Management
Honors Student, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Network before you need it: Constant networking is crucial, not just when job searching. Build connections independently of your current company to open future opportunities.
2. Find a mentor outside of your company: Having external mentors provides valuable guidance and perspectives, especially when exploring new career paths or considering leaving a current role.
3. Networking can compensate for lack of experience: Knowing someone within a company through networking can significantly improve your chances of getting hired, even if you're not the most experienced candidate.
Transcript
Q9: What is something you wish you knew before entering the industry?
What have you learned about this role? They wish someone would have told you before you enter the industry: "Network before you need it." So many people only network when they're looking for a job. I always say you need to be networking constantly, and not just networking for your company.
Maybe you're a representative in sales, or for me, I'm representing my platform. But if I leave the company, do people only know me because they know the company I work for? You need a network. People want to hire people from places they've already met. They want opportunities from people that they trust.
So, it might be a first connection, someone you know well. It might be a second connection, someone you met at an event, or a friend's former company, or something like that. It might be someone you're loosely connected to. But, network before you need it.
Also, find a mentor outside of your company. Again, I had worked for a company for 10 years and I didn't really have a lot of mentorship outside of the organization. So when I started getting curious about what else was out there, I didn't really know where to turn.
Luckily, I had already been networking through the organization I was running at the time, called Austin Women in Technology. It was a nonprofit, which was essentially my side hustle, outside of my main hustle. But I had already been networking, and I remember thinking that was a saving grace for me, but I wish I would have done that way sooner.
I tell this to new grads all the time too. Especially when you don't necessarily have as much experience or tenure as maybe someone else you're interviewing against. If you're networking and you know someone at that company, it doesn't necessarily matter that maybe you're not the top candidate for it. You might be the best candidate put in front of the manager at the right time.
So, I think networking is huge and something that everyone needs to be doing constantly, not just job seekers.