New Professionals - Building a Resilient Career

Deloitte hosted this IPANZ New Professionals Event - Building a Resilient Career. The event had attendees hear from four panellists, each delivering some interesting, exciting and funny insights into how their careers have been shaped by setbacks, and how we can equip ourselves with the skills and characteristics to overcome adversity.

The key takeaways from the session included:

• Control the controllables – developing stress over elements that are out of your control is easily done, but something we should try to avoid. Focus on excelling at the things that you can influence.
• Finding the balance between proactive and patient by being aggressively passive – being aggressive and deliberate with your work ethic but patient with the result and recognition.
• Understanding that success doesn’t come without adversity. Each person had their examples of how they have encountered setbacks during their lives and careers, yet all are successful and have found a pathway to where they want to be.
• We need to embrace the awkwardness and discomfort of change in order to allow space for growth. Don’t restrict ourselves to a narrow vision with only one finish line, instead embrace opportunities and different pathways.
• “Meet others on common ground to take each other to higher ground” – speaking of the need to compromise and avoid expecting everyone to act the way you had pre-determined as right.
• Importance of being your true self in interviews and recruitment processes. This allows employers to ensure you will feel comfortable and welcome within their organisations culture, ultimately benefitting you in the long run.
• Expanding your network and holding conversations with a range of people allows you to exhibit your skills and resilience far more than in any CV or written application.
• Have an open mind when measuring your career progression. Promotions don’t always represent progression – learning and developing your skillset is equally as important.