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Learn new skills (even if you’re not sure how you might use them)
I have collected skills like someone else might collect shoes. Each time I was offered a new opportunity, it came at a time I didn’t expect it. I think that was because I have always focused on my current role, and gaining as many new skills as possible. You never know how they might be used down the line.
When I was in tech support, I focused on troubleshooting. That made me more curious and a better problem solver. When I got an opportunity to join the Customer Experience Business Insights team, I didn’t think my tech support skills would translate, but they were invaluable for identifying customer experience opportunities in digital products and services.
One mentor won’t have all of your answers. Instead, I have cultivated a network of many people for honest feedback and advice. I have never worked with smarter people in my life and everyone has their areas of strength. So, learning a little from as many people as possible can make you a much more well-rounded individual.
When I was offered my first role on the Customer Experience Business Insights team, I didn’t even know what it was. A former colleague on the team told me a tech support background would help, and I decided to take the plunge.
I didn’t worry about all the reasons—and there were plenty—that I wouldn’t be good at the role, or that I wasn’t ready. I just did it and focused on what a great chance I had in front of me to learn something new. I have never regretted that.
Then there was the first doc I ever wrote. Amazon is known for its heavy writing culture where we narratively structure six-page memos instead of PowerPoint presentations to structure meetings. I had never written a six-pager before, and as a new member of the Customer Experience Business Insights team, this was going to be a focus of my new job.
When I got it back after an initial round of feedback, it was more red with markups than black. But I kept practicing, writing more and more, and learning from others’ feedback and support. I learned to write simply and concisely, getting to the point quickly without flowery language.
I questioned myself going into the role, asking if I could really do this. But I knew with practice and support, I would improve, and today I am a much better writer than I was before, which is the whole point and what has made my entire career so amazing—the chance to grow and be challenged all the time.
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