Don’t wait until you are 100% qualified
Ever wondered how people got to where they are today in their career? Where did they start and what were they thinking at the time? In this series, professionals from all walks of life look back at their start and share some lessons they wish they’d known back then.
Sylvie is the Founder and Career Strategist at Career-Minded Circles, where she helps her clients create CVs that stand out and prepare for interviews that get them the job. Sylvie says she created Career-Minded Circles because “having been a job seeker herself, she knows just how important it is to have the right support when looking for employment because the process can be daunting, lengthy and challenging.”
In this Career Talk, she shares some of the lessons she learnt over the course of her career, as she moved from law to helping job seekers succeed in the marketplace.
Enjoy!
Nico: How did you get your first job?
Sylvie: While I had loved studying Law at university, as a result of doing work placements and work experience throughout my degree, I knew that I didn’t want to follow the legal path as a career! It really wasn’t for me! But, I knew that I could use the knowledge from my Law degree to get a job in another field! I had the transferable skills to go and do something else that would interest me.
So, I spent several months researching which jobs I could apply for that would require me to use my Law degree! After months of soul searching, and job applications, I applied for a job as a Tenancy Manager for a well know estate agency in Central London! I was able to use my Property Law knowledge in my first job which I believe helped me to land that first job!
Nico: How did you get your first promotion?
Sylvie: I would say every job I moved onto for me counted as a promotion in a way because it was always a step in the right direction and always on a trajectory path! I always wanted to challenge myself so if there was no opportunity in the company I was in, I challenged myself to aim for a job with greater responsibility elsewhere and a more senior title. In my head, I always treated these as promotions!
However, a more traditional promotion came in my current job now. I started working in my current organisation at the height of the pandemic in May 2020. I was promoted within 9 months, by March 2021, after successfully delivering and leading on a £1million property and estates project.
I got the promotion because a job was advertised for a more senior position in my team. I read the job description and figured, I had gained so much experience as a result of delivering the project in the first 9 months of the role and was ready for even more challenges delivering capital projects.
I was interviewed by the senior management team within weeks of applying and was successfully promoted following being interviewed and delivering a presentation to the panel.
Nico: What is the most important lesson you learnt in your career so far?
Sylvie: I have learnt that I should trust myself and go for opportunities that arise, without second guessing myself so much. Even if I don’t think I am a 100% ready, I always challenge myself to just go for it because as someone once said, ‘if we wait until we are ready, we’ll be waiting for the rest of our lives’! I just go for it, learning lessons along the way! As a Career Strategist, I always tell my clients that if you're 80% qualified for a job, go ahead and apply for it, don't wait until you're 100% qualified. A job description is just a company 'wish list for what they want from a candidate'!
Nico: What is the hardest career lesson you had to learn so far?
Sylvie: That sometimes no matter how hard you work, if you’re not in the right environment, your efforts won’t be appreciated.
Nico: What do you see now that you didn’t see while you were in it?
Sylvie: That I had to always remember my own self-worth as a person and an employee. There is a saying that goes ‘Your value doesn't decrease based on someone else's inability to see your worth’! And I see that now. As an employee, and in general as talented and ambitious professionals seeking fulfilling careers, it’s critical to remember what we bring to the table and our contributions, and if those contributions are not valued then it’s okay to look for other job opportunities where we are respected, valued and appreciated.
Nico: What is one career advice you would give your younger self?
Sylvie: Get a mentor or a 'work buddy' and it’s okay to ask for help and to not struggle alone! Sometimes just talking to someone about work stuff, job interviews, the workplace, etc. helps to reduce the stress because others will share very similar experiences.
About Sylvie Nachilyango
To learn more about Sylvie and her services, check out www.career-mindedcircles.com, where she shares information about how to successfully prepare your application for a job - from tailoring your CV to nailing the interviewing process.
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