What roles have you had throughout your time at Berkeley?
First Position:
Business Process Improvement Consultant
Organizational Effectiveness, Central HR
Jan 2018 - Sep 2018
Second Position:
Senior Business Process Improvement Analyst
Business Process Management Office, Vice Chancellor of Administration
Sep 2018 - Current
What factors do you think helped you switch positions successfully within Berkeley?
Getting involved with the campus culture to understand the current needs and accomplishments of the University moved mountains for me. By participating in events such as Communities of Practice, Town Halls and other small grassroots groups, I was able to quickly hone in and identify where my skills came into play. When being considered for a new position I ensured that key leadership was aware of my campus knowledge and how I could best remedy some of the current problems on campus.
How would you recommend people seek new projects if they don’t naturally have the opportunity to work on a variety of matters?
One of the best ways to seek new projects is by attending events that have multiple departments coming together. I know networking can be a difficult task for people, so I always suggest bringing a buddy to these events who know many key faces on campus. The buddy helps springboard the conversation but it’s up to you to make the conversation grow to an opportunity. Often times we’re all expressing growing pains or key things we’d like to see changed but there are usually significant resource constraints. This is where the possibility of a new project may stem as a professional development opportunity for yourself.
Any final words of wisdom to staff looking to grow their careers at UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley leads the way for many tertiary education institutions around the world. As an employee of this institution, I embrace and embody this mindset in my everyday work. By doing so, I’ve felt more empowered to start owning, leading and managing projects on campus. In a nutshell it boils down to: face-to-face networking time, side projects that highlight your skills and an open line of communication.
If you’d like to advance your career with today’s methods read about the corporate lattice model- here.
Know someone (including yourself!) who has changed jobs at Berkeley? E-mail us at wisdomcafe@berkeley.edu to be featured.
