THINKING ABOUT A PROMOTION, NEW JOB, MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SEIZE AN OPPORTUNITY?
With career freedom, you change the trajectory of your life. This song celebrates Black women building careers we love and taking action to get paid what we're worth.
HOW DID I GET CAREER FREEDOM?
I make my career a habit. I know my company goals and what keeps my manager up at night. I spend 15 minutes a day reading about current events, and trends in my profession. I have mastered time management. I volunteer on the board of non-profit organizations. I deliver powerful presentations, and I know how to take a compliment. I started from a blank PowerPoint at 8:00 pm, and turned it into a Quarterly Business Review deck overnight. Because I know this, I have blind confidence to rock any interview at any time.
“I’m taking my freedom
Pulling it off the shelf
Putting it on my chain
Wearing it around my neck
I’m taking my freedom
Putting it in my car
Wherever I chose to go
It will take me far”
Jill has blind confidence. In the music video to this song, you’ll spot Michelle Obama in the front row, celebrating that victory.
You have survived much worse than corporate America. And now you’re with a cohort of others rooting for your career to accelerate.
Listen to Jill Scott and reflect on all that you’ve done to master your career.
4 Strategies to Career Freedom
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THE LADDER IS GONE. There are no more one-track careers. I worked for a cruise company, hardware firm, consulting team, and call center. I string them together with my story of being customer-centric. I made that up. Believed it. And let it carry me to the next level.
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SWEET SPOT. The intersection of what you know, and what you want. You are a knowledge worker, aware of so many processes that make your industry hum. There is value in that. Find out how to market your unique values, processes, technology into exactly what you want.
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SKILLS VS. VALUES. Focus on what kind of impact to create in the world, your industry, your community, or your team. That impact is a reflection of your values, get paid to learn the skills on your company's dime. Or your own.
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BLIND CONFIDENCE. Dare them to bring it. You are talented, setting a path to learn and grow from people that look like you.
My Land Rover LR3
I bought my first luxury car, a new (to me) 2001 Land Rover LR3. It was all white, with cream interior. It had a Harman Kardon sound system that was loud. It seated seven, so my three kids could each bring a friend. And, I could show up on a date in something bad-ass that wasn't a damn minivan.
I planned the perfect song and I remember leaving the lot - just me, myself and I. Newly divorced, I popped in my iPod and played track #3 as I drove off in Miami, Florida. Sunglasses, sunroof, and Jill Scott.
“Freedom.
I took my career freedom
Pulling it off the shelf
Putting a car freshener on the mirror
you get it...”
