Significant Career Lesson From a Producer at Fortune 100 Tech Company
Sib, a producer at a Fortune 100 tech company, emphasizes the importance of trusting one's gut instincts when making career decisions, even if it means taking a "lateral step" or a path that seems initially less advantageous. This approach, coupled with trusting the process and embracing ambiguity within a large corporate structure, has allowed for growth and learning, ultimately leading to success.
Career Development, Project Management, Teamwork, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sib Santos
Producer
Fortune 100 Tech Company
California State University, Chico
n/a
Business Management & Admin
Technology, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Communication and Marketing
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Trust your gut and intuition when making career decisions, even if it means taking a step back or sideways to gain new experience and skills.
2. Be comfortable with ambiguity and understand that not everything will always make sense, especially in large corporate settings. Trust the process and the people around you.
3. Trust the process and be patient; sometimes things take time, and incremental progress is okay. Learn to pick your battles and focus on what you can control.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
"Trust your gut and what's best for you is more important than people realize. Only you know what's right and what you want to explore.
It might feel like a step back, but you're still learning something new or taking a lateral step. I recently attended a panel with amazing women leaders, and someone shared that even if a move feels lateral or like a step down, if you're moving to a different department, you're still learning, growing, and exposing yourself. This can then catapult you to something else.
You kind of feel it in your gut: "Is this someone I want to learn from?" So, you shift in that direction, even if others suggest a different path. I think that's really important.
When I started this job, I didn't know if I wanted it full-time, but I knew I wanted to learn from it. After experiencing the day-to-day, I knew I wanted to go for it. I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't tried.
My manager often says this: be comfortable in the ambiguous. As much as you can ask questions and stress about understanding things deeply, there will be things, especially in big corporations, that don't make sense or where you don't have the full picture.
Trusting the people around you enables this. Being comfortable when something doesn't make total sense, or when you think there's a better way but change takes time at a big company—it's like moving a cruise ship. Being comfortable in the ambiguous is really important, especially at large companies.
I also believe in trusting the process. This requires trusting the people around you. I've had many examples where we're trying a new project or working with a team, and I might suggest doing X, Y, or Z.
Maybe it doesn't work out for various reasons. Then, as things come around cyclically, the next time it happens, you might have more time, and those initial ideas are integrated. So, pick your battles.
Sometimes you might need to go through an experience that's a little more painful. My manager is good at saying, "Maybe this needs to be 90% successful this time instead of 100%, and that's okay." We'll aim for the next 10% next time because we'll have data showing we need more budget, time, or a team's help, and now we can demonstrate that need.
So, trust your gut, trust the process, trust the people around you, and be comfortable in the ambiguous when you need to be."