financialjuneteenth.com
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”. This saying couldn’t be truer in our careers. As we, corporate sisters, often complain about the lack of, or sheer unattainability, of career opportunities, we also have to do some level of introspective work by asking ourselves how ready we’d be for these opportunities.
In Big Corporate, much of our learning is achieved by stepping outside of our comfort zone. And that is most often done by taking advantage of, or even better, creating opportunities for growth and development.
Last year, Aisha S., a talented auditor and internal controls guru, identified an amazing opportunity in her department for an internal controls group that would address the growing PCAOB and SEC requirements for public companies. As she shared the idea with her manager, he quickly recognized the validity of her proposition and proceeded to float the idea upstream to upper management. Yet although Aisha was a top candidate for the position, she was not a Certified Public Accountant. Long story short, the opportunity went to someone else, because Aisha was not prepared for it. Cliche? Yes. Unfortunate. Absolutely. Preventable. Certainly.
As you pursue new opportunities, or envision yourself creating or taking hold of upcoming ones to further your career, also consider how ready you are for these. Do you have the right degree or certification? Do you have any experience or familiarity with the field itself? If you were asked what makes you the perfect candidate for the job, would you be able to cite at least three major reasons?
Have you asked yourself if you are ready for the next opportunity?
The Corporate Sister.
