In the most recent episode of Taking The Lead, Comet Director of Product Marketing, Nanette George sat down with Christina Brady. A few of the quick highlights in this article:
- Everyone assumes that it is impossible to find a job that you absolutely love, however, in today’s episode we prove that theory wrong
- Comet’s Director of Product Marketing, Nanette George is committed to helping people navigate their desired career changes
- Nanette shares advice on how to stand out from others and where to start when you want to make a radical career change
Nanette George has 15 years of experience with product and content marketing for complex B2B technology solutions. She has had lead roles in product, content, and brand marketing, and she specializes in leading content strategy and production to support demand generation engines for high-growth organizations. She is a pioneer in career changes. But you know what? She is happy and thriving.
Nanette says that over the years, she’s learned how to leverage all her skills from all these different experiences and go after what she wants in business. Now she wants to help others do the same, discover their North Star, and make that career change they’ve been dreaming about for so long.
This article shares some of the main takeaways from this week’s Taking the Lead conversation.Â
Follow your interests, whatever they are, because they can all be relevant in the future
Curiosity is your North Star. The best way to find a career that will make you happy is to follow your inner curiosity. Follow your interests. It’s never too late to do something you love, as long as you trust your interests. Nobody really knows what the future holds and how technology will evolve; that’s why it’s important to trust your WHY.Â
“I think a lot of people right now are looking at making career changes; a lot of people are seeing that the traditional job path is not really the right way for them. And now’s a great time to be looking at what might be next,’ said Nanette, alluding to the generational shift in career paths and work-life balance expectations.
She continues, ‘And I would just encourage everyone who’s listening to follow those interests, follow those because you will find things along the way that will fit in really well, that you can get paid to do that. And because you’re so interested and curious and searching about it and eager to learn, those opportunities to earn will come.”
Nanette shares an interesting conversation she had with Ray Kurzweil, who was VP of engineering at Google.
“I asked him a question. I said, ‘At the end, I have one question for you.’ And he said, ‘What is it?’ And I said, ‘How do I prepare our kids for the future? What can we do to help them prepare for the future of what technology is going to bring?’
And his face lit up, so I touched on that spark for him by asking that question, what his why, the Sinek, ‘Find Your Why.’ It was his why. He leaned in, and he smiled at me, and he said, ‘Tell them to pursue whatever they love because all of it will be relevant in the future. All of it.’ And it’s so true. He said, ‘Science, math, art, music, all of it will have some place in our future.’ And that day changed me. It got me on that path of curiosity.”
Connect with anyone and everyone
After discovering your passion, find people who already do what you want to do and learn from them. Find them in your company, on social media, or at events. If they share the same passion and have the same energy that you have, things will fall into place, and they’ll help you make that career shift.Â
“It’s really useful to connect with people along the way who share that interest and who love your energy because that will keep you together. You’ll continue to grow and learn together.”
We can learn from anyone we cross paths with, not just from those we share passions wtih. Nanette explains why there are lessons everywhere around us.
“There will be people who you meet, who aren’t in your corner. And I would just say, listen to what they say. Because those are the same kinds of objections that you’ll hear in job interviews, in conversations you have with people who may doubt your credibility, and so don’t let that get in the way because your learning and your interest will grow over time. And that is enough. It actually is enough to continue and learn. You don’t have to take a traditional path.”
Be yourself.
Stay true to yourself in everything that you do, no matter the industry or specialty. That’s the only way to be unique. People will appreciate your uniqueness, and you’ll bring to the table something that no one else can – all of you. According to Nanette, being yourself is what will help you succeed. We also need more diversity in the business world.Â
She explains, “The more diversity in a room in all these different ways, the neurodiversity, all of them, those teams that have the most diversity, they perform better.”
This article is based on an episode of Sales Assembly’s podcast, Taking The Lead, which features top female B2B Tech Revenue Leaders, VCs, Advisors, and Icons. Bi-weekly episodes dive into a tactical topic to help listeners (regardless of gender or seniority level) learn how to be better, faster, and smarter as they navigate the craziness of the Revenue world within B2B Tech.
