Beyond The Job Title | Underrepresented Career Stories

Episode Summary

Part two of sharing one lesson from each of the first twenty episodes. Enjoy!

  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (01:36) - Be Open To Opportunities | Mindaugas Petrutis
  • (02:43) - Doing The Job I Wanted Before I Had The Job | Jen Allen-Knuth
  • (04:28) - You Don't Need to Ask For Permission | Albert Chun
  • (05:17) - Your Career Is Not Your Career | Hannah Brotherthon
  • (06:29) - Think About What Has Helped You Get to Where You Are Today | Ashna Patel
  • (07:30) - Be Willing to Pivot | Emma Lo
  • (07:54) - Identify The Things That You Don’t Want | Maria Joyner
  • (08:52) - Embrace The Learning Curve | Swietenia Palacios
  • (09:32) - Take Control Of Your Story | Julie Fox
  • (10:18) - Go, Have Fun, And Pull Your Friends Along | Matt Wilson
  • (11:01) - Outro

Referenced

🎙About The Podcast

Join Cesar Romero, as he shares the stories of trailblazing underrepresented SaaS founders, executives, and professionals who have broken barriers and achieved remarkable milestones. Whether you seek inspiration, mentorship, or actionable strategies to advance your career, our podcast is your go-to resource.

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Creators & Guests

Host
Cesar Romero
Helping startups and SMBs build strong customer relationships that drive product adoption, reduce churn, and increase revenue | Community-Driven | Podcast Host

What is Beyond The Job Title | Underrepresented Career Stories?

The lack of diversity in tech can lead to imposter syndrome, bias, and a sense of isolation that hinders your growth and ambition.

Welcome to 'Beyond The Job Title Podcast,' where we shine a spotlight on the journeys of underrepresented tech professionals and allies within the SaaS industry.

Join us as we delve into the personal development and career insights that have fueled their success.

Discover the stories of trailblazing underrepresented SaaS founders, executives, and professionals who have broken barriers and achieved remarkable milestones.

Whether you're seeking inspiration, mentorship, or actionable strategies to advance your career, our podcast is your go-to resource.

Tune in to gain valuable insights, build your network, and navigate your tech career journey with confidence.

Subscribe now and take the next step toward your own success in the world of tech.

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10 Lessons Vol 2 | BJT28
[00:00:00] Cesar: Hey friends. Welcome to another episode of beyond the job title podcast. I'm your host. Cesar Romero. And remember, this is the podcast where we feature the relatable journeys of successful underrepresented professionals in tech. With the goal of providing you with the inspiration mentorship. Resources and strategies to advance your career. In this episode, I'll be sharing one lesson from the first 20. episodes of the podcast. And man it's such a diverse group of people from entrepreneurs to creators, community builders. Professionals in tech and my hope is that. You get to digest the lesson and apply it to your personal life, to your career. And. If you find the lesson impactful and you want to listen. To the full episode. There will be a link in the show notes. So you can [00:01:00] access the episode. And before we dive into the episode. Please. I have two requests for you. One. Make sure to subscribe so that you don't miss out on any future episodes. And that is one of the best ways to support the podcast. And number two. I welcome. Any feedback, questions, comments. That's how we continue and growing. And improving this podcast so if you have a question if you have feedback what is good or bad or any common Please don't hesitate reaching out my dms are open thank you so much for tuning in and now let's get into the show.
[00:01:35]
[00:01:36] Mindaugas: be open to opportunities. I think we are entering an age where saying I'm here and I want to work at Google and I'm just going to follow like I will just own, I will only do X, Y and Z things that are related for me to me getting there is becoming much harder. And I think allowing yourself to be [00:02:00] open to other opportunities that may necessarily not make sense.
[00:02:04] Mindaugas: today will might lead you, okay, could be in a roundabout way to that ultimate goal or could lead you in some other direction that you haven't even, contemplated or allowed yourself to contemplate before. so that's how I would look at a career is like goals and everything like that, of course, are important works for some people doesn't work for me, but.
[00:02:26] Mindaugas: Just allow yourself, take that introduction that doesn't make sense, reach out to that person that doesn't make sense, keep your ears open to these signals and don't discount something because it doesn't directly give you value today or get you closer to that goal.
[00:02:43] Jen: tHere's two things that have been very key to me throughout my career. And I'm not saying everybody should do this. This is just what worked for me. One was always doing the job I wanted before I had the job, right?
[00:02:53] Jen: Like it's kind of, it sounds when I went to school, I walked through 12 inches of snow, but it was just as much for me to know [00:03:00] the thing that I'm going to put my neck out on the line and ask for, do I even enjoy doing it? So like when I created the role of chief evangelist at challenger. I did it for about seven months before I asked for the job, because I wanted to show, Hey, you don't have to take a leap of faith.
[00:03:14] Jen: I can show you results for me doing it as a side of the desk thing. Imagine what it looks like if I do it full time, but I also wanted to make sure I even enjoyed doing something like that. So that's one key tenant is do the job you're asking for before you do it. I think also to me, people that I've worked with people who demonstrate that of grit, I think is a really admirable thing.
[00:03:33] Jen: and then two Is, the relationships that you build internally, I think matter more than anything. And so what I mean by that is I was really always very big on helping others, whether or not it benefited me. And I learned that from others that I respected and worked for. And so whether that was doing like one off training sessions, whether that is, being a mentor to someone, whether that's like offering to help someone with [00:04:00] their email or their, pitch deck or whatever the case may be.
[00:04:03] Jen: I just always wanted it to be that if I left a room, people were like, she was really helpful because I think when you create that sort of brand for yourself, people in turn want to help you. They want to advocate for you. I think the opposite of that is just always what can I get? What attention can I collect for this?
[00:04:20] Jen: I think we all have experiences with people like that. It's just a really icky thing that you don't really root for those people. So I think you have to be someone worth rooting for.
[00:04:27]
[00:04:28] Albert: you don't need to ask for permission. You can just do it. And I think oftentimes it can be intimidating because we feel like other people know better, but they don't. They sure. Wisdom counts. It does. Experience counts. All of that.
[00:04:46] Albert: Don't get me wrong. But generally no one knows what they're doing. You have to look back 30 years. How many contrary things were people doing 30 years ago, 40 years ago, 10 years ago, five years ago? And guess what? [00:05:00] We're doing nonsensical things right now happening right now. In a hundred years, someone's going to think you're a genius because you decided to do something some different type of way.
[00:05:09] Albert: And so I think it's just, yeah, no, no one knows what the hell they're doing. Yeah. That's for permission and just do it.
[00:05:16]
[00:05:17] Hannah: yOur career is not you and you are not your career. And it is okay to have jobs that are not perfect. You likely will. and that you are going to need different things at different times. And that's okay. And it's okay to, you know, figure out that Oh, at this point in my life, you know, that's not actually what I want.
[00:05:40] Hannah: And it was before. And that's okay. I think that just being okay with that you are evolving and that sometimes what you want might change and that it's not a reflection of you not being the smart and amazing and capable person that you are. It's more just a reflection of you being [00:06:00] aware. Of where you're at and making like a conscious choice to pursue that moment.
[00:06:06] Hannah: And I think that's okay. And I feel like I've done that for most of my life changes. There's different things. You need different things. I've worked across tons of industries, lots of different areas. And yeah, just like knowing that you'll figure it out and you will likely mess up and that's okay, but you're going to you'll learn from your experiences and it's not fatal.
[00:06:28]
[00:06:29]
[00:06:29] Ashna: Don't think about the situation that you're in for take a moment and think about all that has helped you get to where you are today and because a lot of time, and this is why I've been doing this exercise, like, you know, when I talk to you about like how the experience in working in different industries really got me, it got me to that pivotal moment in tech when I was, I didn't necessarily thought about it until some times ago, but I was like, wow, I do have diverse experience and I do.
[00:06:57] Ashna: That made me who I am today and it got me to get [00:07:00] to where I am today. So for me to say that I don't deserve this, or I can't do this, or that I have a self doubt, it's not, that's not right. It's not fair to myself. So I think that's where I feel like I always tell people, it's just take a minute, take a moment and pull yourself out of the equation and think about what has helped you come to the point that you are today, and that's going to make you realize that you have it in you.
[00:07:24] Ashna: It's just, sometimes you have to push yourself. A little bit harder to get to the next step or next stage.
[00:07:30]
[00:07:31] emma: be willing to pivot, be willing to learn from your failures. Failure is not a failure, it's just a lesson that life throws you to learn.
[00:07:40] emma: And if you don't learn it, it's just hitting you until you learn it. So I started seeing it. That as well. Just be willing to pivot, be humble and keep learning.
[00:07:53]
[00:07:54] Maria: identifying all the things that you don't want all the things that are non negotiables.
[00:07:58] Maria: and being really [00:08:00] clear about those because in order for us to make big life changes boundaries are being able to set boundaries to who has access to our mental space and just in our energy is really important. So starting with this is a list of things I don't want. I think that's easier to start.
[00:08:18] Maria: And then think of the things that make you feel really good and make you feel fulfilled. Not so much. I want to be a VP of growth at this company, but what makes you feel fulfilled being able to, and I'm, being able to. You know, pick up my daughter from school, right? So that, so those things that make you feel fulfilled, those things may not be tangibles, but they can be tangibles because once you know exactly what you don't want, and then you see what makes you feel fulfilled, you can start constructing the transformation you want with those things in mind
[00:08:51]
[00:08:52] Swietenia: growing up, I was, a straight A student, I was very certain of where I was headed. What I had to do to get there and [00:09:00] then I find myself in this, huge Career transition where I'm new to this, right?
[00:09:05] Swietenia: So I'm just open and willing to absorb and learn. and I think,the interviewers and everyone I spoke to as I was trying to get into these companies really appreciated that.
[00:09:17] Swietenia: being comfortable and embracing the learning curve was one of the biggest challenges for me. I'm the kind of person, to want to see results really quick and, I've had amazing support and,just a really great community to support me throughout this
[00:09:32] Julie: There's so many layoffs happening. And in that moment, you just feel completely broken and you feel like you've lost control because something happened to you. And I think that's where, for me, this was when I made the decision to change my career and to make a big switch into tech.
[00:09:49] Julie: And that was my way of taking control of the story was that I. I was in a career that I was good at. I was well connected. I knew that I, that was kind of my easy [00:10:00] button was going back to that career, but I wanted, I didn't want this just to be a negative story of something that happened to me. I wanted this to be the moment where I took control, where I took the story back and found a career and an industry that I was passionate about and that I loved.
[00:10:17]
[00:10:18] Matt: don't just go through the motions, figure out what do I want to do? And even if you don't have this perfect plan, just get out, get on your damn bike. book a trip. Even if it's not the perfect trip, you don't have to do a million, hours of research, just go somewhere and have some fun.
[00:10:35] Matt: And then you build that momentum. while that Nike quote is really cliche, just do it. Everybody needs a little push, especially if you're struggling with your mental health, And if you are one of these people who are listening to this, I'm like, Oh yeah, I am a, high achiever.
[00:10:50] Matt: I don't have trouble getting out of bed in the morning. then reach out to three friends who you know, do and get them on board and pull them [00:11:00] along
[00:11:00]
[00:11:01] Cesar: all right. I hope you enjoyed this episode and thank you so much for listening all the way through. I appreciate you. And I hope that you get some valuable information that you can apply to our personal and professional life. If this story resonated with you and you would like to support the podcast.
[00:11:23] Cesar: Please make sure to subscribe. So you don't miss out on any future episodes. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I appreciate you. And I look forward to serving you in the next episode.