Jenn Lim is the co-founder and CEO of an organization consultancy, Delivering Happiness. The organization helps individuals and businesses to stand out and build a stronger and happier working environment. Her career path was not as smooth as we opt to guess.
Jenn is an Alumni at California University, Berkeley. She has a bachelor’s degree in Asian American studies. At the time the internet was gaining popularity, it was when he wore the gown to go out on the market to look for a job.
Successfully, she landed her first job in an internet consulting firm. While working with KPMG, she faced and learned a lot. She refers to the learning curve as a very steep journey.
Joining wrong company
While having an interview with the CNBC Make It, she said, “Back in the day, the internet was just being born,”. She wasn’t sure about her role as, consultant for internet strategy. But she focused and stayed ahead of what she was dealing with. It was the book that directed her on what was next.
After the interview for this job, she had a long discussion with the senior manager. That was the moment she got, “the worst career advice” on her journey. Although she hated the manager, it was just a job to earn a living from. She did it because there was no alternative option at the moment.
Don’t specialize while still young
“What are you going to be an expert on?”, this was the first question the manager asked Lim. She felt like someone was pressing her on the wall. It was just an entry-level profession, it acted as an internship. But here comes a senior manager who puts more pressure on a young girl.
Lim felt misguided by the question because she did not understand the deeper meaning of it. She tried to question the manager about the meaning of that sentence. The internet was booming out, but there were fewer people who understood how the wave was going. The manager told him he needed to expertise in a certain field. “Hone that skill set and just keep working, working, working on that so you’ll be known to be this specialized person.” These were direct words from the manager.
And of course, it was her first and last career advice. She said that she did the more generalized things to learn and understand more. It was a company where she learnt things that were not in her career path. Lim was familiar with what she wanted in life. The internet wasn’t her thing.
Jenn Lim came out of her comfort zone to ultimately look at something that made her feel okay. He tried things out to see what worked best for her career. She wanted something that made her happy.
Stay focused on what you want
Currently, Jenn advises people not to stay focused on one expertise. Specializing in a single path while still young can haunt your career. At that moment, you are always unsure about what you want to major in, despite having a degree. It’s always healthy to approach what you do with a wide-open mind. Be ready to absorb much from the industry.
Learning from mistakes gives you an outstanding edge. Through toxic career advice from employers, you understand the definition of who you are. People get to understand the reason why they were born. Over time, as you hit the rocks, you sharpen your values and purpose in life. Then, you will realize that you were created to do great things.
Society can force one to take a different career path, but it is out of your will. You have to be keen and get out of people’s minds. Focus on what will earn you that great title.
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