New Job
I've intended to write about this for quite a while but, well, I haven't.
Now I don't feel like writing about it for some reason, despite wanting to communicate many of my thoughts on it. Here are the highlights.
I spoke with my mentor, BP, back in July about next steps in my career. He advised a few things and then suggested that I should talk to KP who a) used to work for him b) runs sales for our segment worldwide. I talked to KP about how I was trying to decide between sales management and marketing management. He offered to hook me up with our segment's marketing VP if I wanted the latter. If I wanted the former, he told me I need to "carry a bag" for a while if I want to manage in his organization. In other words, I need to be a direct sales rep for a while. He said he was selfish and wanted to keep me in his org, that we'd probably be looking at 12-18 months as a rep then look to find a management position.
I told him I wanted sales management. He reached out to our Americas VP, GM, and the local New England sales manager, JS. I soon spoke to JS who was interested. JS then had me talk to another guy and said the next step would be to talk to his (JS') boss. This took FOREVER. And then it took similarly forever after that to actually get it done. But it is. I'm now a direct rep for our segment covering a territory (details to be determined soon) in New England.
I'm pretty excited about it. I'm also pretty nervous. Just a tough gig. I'm confident, but respectfully scared.
What was so tough was the vague status I found myself in for months. It was infuriating, distracting and frustrating. But I'd gone down a path and I had to play it out. So I was as patient as possible (second guessing everything I was saying and doing) and let it play out.
As someone said about a similar job I turned down two and a half years ago, this is the big leagues. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Now I don't feel like writing about it for some reason, despite wanting to communicate many of my thoughts on it. Here are the highlights.
I spoke with my mentor, BP, back in July about next steps in my career. He advised a few things and then suggested that I should talk to KP who a) used to work for him b) runs sales for our segment worldwide. I talked to KP about how I was trying to decide between sales management and marketing management. He offered to hook me up with our segment's marketing VP if I wanted the latter. If I wanted the former, he told me I need to "carry a bag" for a while if I want to manage in his organization. In other words, I need to be a direct sales rep for a while. He said he was selfish and wanted to keep me in his org, that we'd probably be looking at 12-18 months as a rep then look to find a management position.
I told him I wanted sales management. He reached out to our Americas VP, GM, and the local New England sales manager, JS. I soon spoke to JS who was interested. JS then had me talk to another guy and said the next step would be to talk to his (JS') boss. This took FOREVER. And then it took similarly forever after that to actually get it done. But it is. I'm now a direct rep for our segment covering a territory (details to be determined soon) in New England.
I'm pretty excited about it. I'm also pretty nervous. Just a tough gig. I'm confident, but respectfully scared.
What was so tough was the vague status I found myself in for months. It was infuriating, distracting and frustrating. But I'd gone down a path and I had to play it out. So I was as patient as possible (second guessing everything I was saying and doing) and let it play out.
As someone said about a similar job I turned down two and a half years ago, this is the big leagues. Keep your fingers crossed for me!