Crucial Career Advice from Four Female Marketing Leaders

I thought of Meyer six months into one of my past jobs when the head of my department resigned When I shared the news with my peers on two separate occasions two of my male friends asked amp8220Are you going to apply for his jobamp8221 I laughed and shook my head The thought never even crossed my mind and perhaps my inability to entertain the possibility of a leadership role was the only thing holding me back from stepping into oneThis conversation points to a larger truth within todayamp8217s workforce Research shows women have a tendency to not pursue opportunities unless they think they are 100 percent qualified for them where men apply for jobs even when they only fulfill 60 percent of the qualifications Perhaps the first step to empowering women to break the barriers in the working world is to help them recognize their ability to take on the unknownWomenAdvancing Boston Brings Together a Panel of Curious RiskTakersWomen leaders in marketing advertising and media gathered for a discussion at WeWork Boston WomenAdvancing a group that connects 6000 female professionals in the media marketing and advertising industries works to give women the support and inspiration they need to succeed At a recent panel discussion in Boston top female leaders gathered to talk about their starts and stops and offer insight for women at all levels on how to find success and fulfillmentFour of the top female leaders on the panel includedCarol Capeci CMO at Hearts on Fire heartsonfireCapeci worked on the agency side for 20 years leading initiatives for DeBeers and Royal Caribbean Cruises Now she focuses her expertise and passion for the diamond industry in her leadership role at Hearts on Fire driving integrated marketing campaigns that make the brand experience memorable for all customersBarbara Messing CMO of TripAdvisor tripadvisorMessing leads the marketing efforts at TripAdvisor the Bostonbased travel site that brings in 280 million unique visitors on a monthly basis Messing also serves on the board for Mashable and XO Group Inc and was named amp8220Brand Geniusamp8221 by Adweek for her vision leadership and ability to differentiate TripAdvisor in an overly saturated marketAnne Potts EVP of Global Services and Standards at Racepoint Global atmpotts Potts is grateful for the unexpected twists and turns throughout her career She worked at eight different companies before finding her role at Racepoint Global Her experiences have given her a strong and varied skill set including corporate communications public affairs media relations and social media As EVP at Racepoint Global Potts dedicates her time to boosting the firmamp8217s market presence and ensuring the success of all its clientsPatricia Travaline Vice President of Marketing at Skyword travwinNow entering her third year at Skyword Travaline leads its content marketing strategy Prior to Skyword she held a variety of senior marketing positions at companies such as Be Free and RSA the security division of EMC Full disclosure Iamp8217m lucky to have her as my boss as she possesses what you need in a leader A listening ear a sense of humor and a passion for our company technology and customersHere are a few bits of wisdom that came up during the hourlong WomenAdvancing panel1 Follow Growth OpportunitiesThe only way to improve is by putting yourself in situations outside your comfort zone This is why Messing moved on from her role at Hotwire even though she loved her team and her responsibilities By joining TripAdvisor a company known for its rapid evolution sheamp8217s been able to stretch herself and her skill set Growing companies offer the chance to tackle new unknown problems and collaborate with smart creative people2 Go Into Your Day Knowing Your PrioritiesWe all have todo lists that seem to go on for days The trick to productivity is going into the office knowing what matters most and focusing our energy there How do you determine whatamp8217s critical and whatamp8217s a distraction Think about what youamp8217ll worry about most when the day ends if no progress is made Capeci said By zeroing in on whatamp8217s most important the rest of your day tends to fall into place3 Donamp8217t Worry About What You Have No Control OverMany variables impact the success of that sales deal that media pitch and those quarterly Web site metrics Even a hiring decision can lay on the shoulders of someone youamp8217ve never met This is why Travaline stressed the importance of only focusing on the outcomes that you can meaningfully impact and then moving on4 Share Your Opinionamp8220Even when youamp8217re sitting in a room full of executives your thoughts are valuableamp8221 said Travaline amp8220I love when someone in a meeting especially a young person challenges the way Iamp8217m thinking about a topicamp8221 Keeping your thoughts to yourself not only deprives you of the opportunity to showcase your knowledge itamp8217s also a detriment to your team5 Donamp8217t Read Off the Powerpoint Slidesamp8220I see a lot of junior people do thisamp8221 Messing said Reading directly from bullets on the computer screen is a good way to invite your audience to check out Take the time needed to distill the key points of the content and invite attendees to review the slides later if they need more information6 Start Your Day Early and with ExerciseSince Potts learned this secret she hasnamp8217t turned back Numerous studies point to morning exercise as a way to boost brainpower shed stress and energize you for the day By clearing your head before the daily chaos sets in youamp8217ll be more equipped to handle and even thrive throughout any unexpected challenges7 Be CuriousAll four panelists look for genuine curiosity in the candidates they hire Itamp8217s hard to blame them Studies show curious people are more willing to learn are able to overcome anxiety and generally lead happier lives Capeci talked about how following her early curiosity for the diamond industry and learning as much as she could continues to serve her today8 When Youamp8217re Doing What You Love the Unknown Takes on a Different LightThe one common thread that runs through the success of these female leaders is they are all doing what they love They love their industry the people they work with and most of all they are excited about what the future holds no matter how unknown it isI never applied for my bossamp8217s job but I did continue to think about that moment and consider possibilities that I was not 100 percent prepared for A few months later I took a different risk joining the marketing team at Skyword Now Iamp8217m doing work that I love but that I am also by no means an expert in As they say a smooth sea never made a skillful sailor Oftentimes the only way to move forward is to dive into the tidal wave and embrace the process of figuring out how to get back upThis commentary was previously published in the Content StandardThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecom management or associated bloggers

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Crucial Career Advice from Four Female Marketing Leaders

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Lizzie McQuillan

Empowering Women in Media: Insights from Industry Leaders (Video) - By E.B. Moss

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