Significant Career Lesson From A Director Internal Audit At Nasdaq Inc
Jenna, a Director of Internal Audit at Nasdaq, emphasizes the significant impact of "relationship building and a strong network," advocating for proactive networking, such as "speaking up" and engaging senior management. This involves thoughtful preparation, adding value to others' work to create "meaningful interactions" resulting in a stronger professional brand and increased career opportunities.
Networking, Communication, Executive/Leadership, Relationship Building, Career Development
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Jenna Heffler Beth
Director, Internal Audit
Nasdaq Inc
Penn State University, 2014
N/A
Finance
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Finance
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The significance of building relationships and networking for career advancement.
2. The importance of actively engaging with people across different teams and management levels.
3. Preparing for interactions by understanding the other person's work and offering value in conversations to strengthen your professional brand
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
The power of relationship building and a strong network has always been very significant to me. It's valuable for someone to hear your name and not just recognize it, but have something meaningful to recall that's tied to your work and your impact.
This can involve getting out of your comfort zone and speaking up. It could mean going out of your way to introduce yourself to someone on another team or approaching someone new at a networking event.
It's beneficial to speak with senior management and others you're not accustomed to talking to, in order to expand your network. Coming prepared to those interactions is a bonus.
For example, before I reach out to someone, I consider what I'm going to say and what that person does in their day-to-day. What I plan to say next is typically something that would add value to their day-to-day.
This might be something I'm working on that I know they would care about. By having multiple meaningful interactions, you begin to build a network. When they hear your name again, they will think, "I know this person; I spoke to them, and they're working on this." People talk to each other, and your brand only gets stronger from there.