Success, Luck, and the Sweet Taste of Opportunity:
From HR Happenstance to Strategic Sweetness.
It is graduation season and it’s got me feeling bloggy! Five years ago, I donned a cap and gown, walked across a stage, and graduated with a Master’s in Strategic Human Resources.
Yes, it was a moment of nervous triumph, a culmination of years of work… when we share our career stories it can sometimes seem like a carefully woven narrative, a story of deliberate choices and well-navigated paths.
But let me let you in on a secret. That is a fairytale!
My career so far has been less of a carefully followed recipe… and more of a spontaneous baking session.
Whisking Experiences:
From Tesco Training to Boots’ Employee Forum.
I didn’t set out to pursue a career in HR. In fact, I fell into it after not achieving the A-levels I needed for my first-choice university and course. But, as they say, when one door closes, another opens. I ended up doing a Bachelors degree in HR, which I followed up with a Masters. The first ingredient in my career cake was added – a dash of adaptability! From my experience at Tesco it felt like I’d enjoy HR and that it made a difference.
My time at Tesco as a team leader, was like adding a layer of sponge to my career cake. It was challenging, but it taught me the importance of resilience and the value of hands-on experience. Then a few jobs later at Boots, alongside my role as an Assistant Store Manager I was part of the Employee Forum, a role that added a layer of rich, creamy frosting of communication and teamwork to my career cake.
Sprinkling Strategy:
From Edge Hill to Fine-Tuning Services.
And at Edge Hill, I had the opportunity to systematically review and improve services, sprinkling my cake with a dusting of strategic thinking and problem-solving. These experiences, other roles and the gift that is coaching and consultancy each added a new flavour, a new texture to my career cake, making it more exciting and fulfilling. And we all have so many layers, right? Awards, qualifications, accreditations… highs and lows… All preparing us for something, perhaps…
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”
But the most important ingredient in my career cake? Luck. Or as I like to call it, the cherry on top. There have been moments when things just fell into place, as if by magic. But I’ve come to realize that it’s not just about being in the right place at the right time. It’s about having the right mindset to seize those opportunities when they come your way.
The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. I’ve often found myself comparing my progress to others, which can be a recipe for self-doubt… But I am not nearly done baking yet and I’ve learned to focus on my own path, my own cake, if you will. After all, we’re all baking our own unique career cakes, with different ingredients, layers, and flavours.
Keep Baking, Keep Growing:
The Oven of Endless Opportunities.
So, reflect on your own career journey.
What are the ingredients that have gone into your career cake? What layers have you added over the years? And most importantly, what’s the cherry on top that’s made all the difference?
Remember, we’re all still baking our career cakes. And the beauty of it is, there’s always room for more layers, more flavours, more cherries on top. So, keep baking, keep growing, and keep seizing those opportunities. Because the best career cakes are the ones that are still in the oven.
Does anybody else really want cake now…?
