Insider profil
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Top Insider Advice
It sounds obvious, but sometimes it can be easy to perform the actions required for your role in a way that doesn’t best amplify your strengths. Be acutely aware of your own strengths and play to them, putting together a development plan for areas of improvement. I’d recommend developing your strengths too. Just because you’re naturally good at something doesn’t mean you should rest on your laurels. Have a mindset of wanting to move from the top 10% to top 1%. Always welcome feedback too whether it’s positive or constructive. Don’t take constructive feedback negatively, to be imperfect is to be human. We all have areas we can improve on.
Career path
Product Manager
First Central
Started 11/2022 to PresentProduct Management
Aviva
From 01/2018 to 11/2022Proposition Management
Aviva
From 06/2008 to 01/2018Company
What do you like about your job and the company?
At previous financial organisations, I’ve experienced politics which have often resulted in departments having contrasting goals which were harmful for productivity. There’s no such conflict here. Everyone is engaged, there are no hidden agendas, we’re all signed up to the goals of the company and committed to achieving them. The culture is also fantastic here, whether it’s the approach to flexible working, focus on diversity or wellbeing. Again, there is a marked improvement working here compared to other organisations I’ve experienced. We are also well informed here. There’s a breadth of honesty and this is demonstrated from top to bottom. It surprised me at first how open the entire organisation is and how ‘human’ our senior leaders are.
Greatest achievements
I have put together a roadmap of activity and subsequently pitched numerous initiatives at relevant forums across the business and received approval. Unfortunately, the activities mentioned are all in various stages of development and therefore I can’t make specific reference to what they are. However, they vary in nature and all align with our goals as an organisation. I am someone who loves ownership and accountability, so being able to strategise a development, pitch for approval and then work with teams to implement the change really ticks the box for me. In a matter of weeks, some of these developments will be live. At the same time others will move to development and I’m also scoping a few more changes with a view to pitching them in due course.
Jemma R
Talent Manager
Top Insider Advice
I have rarely asked for or applied for promotions during my career, generally feeling I was happy where I was and not wanting loads more responsibility, especially since I lost my 21-month-old daughter in 2015. I wanted to come to work, enjoy it and then go home without any added pressures (plus I hate being interviewed!) I think I have naturally progressed and become involved in other things, specifically over the past 10 years. I’ve done it by working hard, being loyal and putting effort into everything I do. I’ve been lucky that my managers have always recognised my potential and pushed me to progress myself and my career. It’s definitely helped when working for the same company for a number of years! I could probably have progressed a bit quicker if I had pushed for it, but that’s not me and that’s ok. You don’t have to be pushy to get where you want to be; it might just take a little longer.
Parisa M
Risk & Compliance Governance Manager
Top Insider Advice
Whatever you’re good at, whether it be organisation or leadership or analytics, try your best to draw on those skills within your current role to really showcase what you do well. And not just in your role, look at other roles such as championing or volunteering to provide additional opportunities to really highlight what you are good at. This may then give you the chance to consider where you have improvements to make and think about how that can be achieved through shadowing, mentoring or further education / courses. There are so many opportunities at First Central to shine a light on our talents or improve our weaknesses. Take them!
Paul F
Director of Data and Analytics
Top Insider Advice
My career experience causes me to provide the following advice, which is relevant for opportunities here at First Central: • Build credibility by doing what you say you will • Team spirit trumps all • Seek to understand and don’t judge a book by its cover • Give people space; micro-management is a killer • Be relentless in seeking to understand yourself • Coaching and mentoring are transformational and are amazing gifts you can give to others • Take risks and be brave • Be human, be vulnerable, show emotion to make yourself accessible
