Dear Red,
I have been so fortunate in the past few years to escalate quickly in the carreer ladder of my chosen position as a Business Manager. I am currently at a respectable company but not my dream company. And although I truly enjoy what I am doing I am not sure I am doing it with the right people. I don’t trust my boss, Ben but I am grateful for the opportunity he gave me. I have the gut instict to start inquiring ablout other opportunities but am not sure if I am being premature as I have only been at my current company a year. I am also pretty positive that this is the right profession for me, but am also intrigued about the buying side of the industry and maybe wondering if I am not in right placement. Just looking for a little clarity so I can figure out how to proceed. Any help would be so greatly appreciated.
Gaby in LA
Dear Gaby,
You are most definitely on the right track with your career!
It never hurts to keep eyes and ears open for opportunities, just keep it on the quieter side of inquisition. While you may not currently be at your dream company, you are where you are supposed to be for the moment. More success lies ahead of you with your current employer.
Opportunity is likely to come hunt you down, but not until after February of 2007. At that time, you will need to decide if you are comfortable where you’re at, or need a fresher atmosphere. Until then, bide your time, learn what you can, and network! You are literally going to be “climbing the ladder” until you are working for a firm that not only meets, but exceeds, your wildest dreams. A bit of patience and diligence will be required, because the “dream job” is roughly three years away from you.
Ben, your boss, isn’t the most black-and-white, easy-to-read kind of guy; but he does want to see you succeed. There’s something a wee bit unnerving about him, though. Because of this, I can’t tell you to just blindly trust in the man. On the flip side, he has no malice or master schemes when it comes to you. Being one who would much rather be deemed paranoid rather than be caught with my pants down, I suggest that you watch your back while you forge ahead.
You have a pretty good thing going for you as a Business Manager, although you’re not going to hold that title forever. I do see you staying in the industry but I’m not sure that you will transition into the buying side of things. This does not mean that you can’t do it; it just means you would have to put forth the effort and energy to make it happen. When I focus on the word “buying”, I am immediately told, “contracts and management”. Being that you know the industry and I don’t, I can only hope that this will click something within you to line it up and have it make sense.
Whatever path you choose to take in your professional aspirations, it looks like success and big money will be the reward. You’re kind of like an infomercial or something. It seems to me that if you can see it and believe it, you will achieve it!
