Significant Career Lesson From a Sr. Director of Operations at Tend
Mark, a Senior Director of Operations, emphasizes the significant impact of networking, stating that "leveraging your network is absolutely the thing that people should do." He regrets not utilizing this strategy earlier in his career, highlighting its effectiveness in overcoming the competitive job market where "even if you're good, you're still competing with dozens of different people," and advocating for proactive outreach, even to those not recently contacted.
Networking, Job Search, Career Development, Executive/Leadership, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mark Pesin
Sr. Director of Operations
Tend
University of California, Santa Barbara
N/A
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain, Technology
Operations and Project Management
Took Out Loans, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Leverage your network: Actively utilizing your network of contacts is crucial for career advancement. It significantly increases your chances of getting an interview and securing a job.
2. Don't be afraid to reach out: Overcome the hesitation to contact people in your network, even if you haven't spoken in a while. People are generally willing to help those they know.
3. Networking provides a competitive edge: Referrals give you a significant advantage over other applicants, even if you're equally qualified. A referral vouches for your abilities and makes you a more attractive candidate.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
I'm like a broken record here: leverage your network. I know I've said this before, but I spent the first couple of years of my career being embarrassed to reach out to somebody I knew to ask for a favor, a referral, or something similar.
It took me a while to get comfortable with that, but now I think it's the best way to get a job. If you just look at the data, a company posts a role and gets hundreds of applicants. Honestly, out of those hundred, probably dozens are good, solid applicants.
So even if you're good, you're still competing with dozens of different people. When somebody at the company refers someone and vouches for them, saying "this is a good person," you immediately have a leg up on those dozens of good people you're competing with. It makes it exponentially more likely that you get an interview.
Once you get the interview, it's on you. But to get that interview, leveraging your network is absolutely what people should do. I do this now, and I've even encouraged my wife to do it, as she was in the same position. She also felt embarrassed to reach out to people.
"Hey, we haven't spoken in four years." So what? Reach out to them. They're going to remember you, and they're going to help you out. Leveraging your network is what I wish I knew and was doing from the start.