My Unsolicited Career Advice
Career advice that has greatly benefited me
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My Career Advice
There is not just one path to climb the career ladder. A lot of people give advice as if the path that worked for them is the “right” path.
While I think there are multiple ways to get where you want, there are a few career truths that I have found to be universally true.
These things have greatly benefited my career. Conversely, I have seen how much damage not doing these things can have on other people’s careers, job searches, and when they try to get promoted.
Below are the exact talking points I give when someone asks me for career advice. Please share it with others!
1. Stick around and do good work
Job hopping every 12-18 months obviously looks bad and is an immediate red flag for potential employers. I will forgive one short job stint, but multiple in a row is always a red flag…
But the bad optics isn’t even the worst part of short job stints.
When you stick around you have the ability to make a real impact. When you make a real impact then you will build a more powerful professional network than almost any other method. Your co-workers (manager, peers, direct reports, etc.) will become your best recruiters.
Your co-workers will eventually leave the company. If you are in a role long enough to make an impact then they will remember you and be your best advocate at the dozens of different companies that they go to.
Have an impact with measurable outcomes, and the next role will take care of itself. —Gokul Rajaram
How long should you stay? 3+ years is what I generally recommend because it can take that long to make a major impact. If your company is growing fast and there is continual upward progression then stay even longer. But if growth is slow and you are stuck in one role too long then it starts to hurt you.
2. Build AND Maintain Your Network
Many folks only think about building their professional network when they need it (looking for a new job). But at that point it’s too late.
My prior point (#1) is the most critical IMO for building your network, but here are a few other things I recommend:
Maintain your network. Don’t let relationships die. You can’t stay engaged with everyone, but choose at least a few people (mentors, peers, mentees) that you will regularly catch up with. I still speak every quarter with the CFO from my first company I joined. He has directly helped me get at least one job and has been a fantastic mentor throughout my career.
Get breakfast/lunch with colleagues, mentors, and others. Maybe just once a week invite someone to lunch. If you work remotely then do it more.
Give more than you receive. Be a mentor, take the phone calls, offer help, etc. Sounds easy but people find excuses why they are too busy.
Join professional networks and attend events. I say this with a slight grimace because MANY of these are a complete waste of time (like more event sponsors than actual peers). But there are some really good ones that I have benefited from.
Have a life outside of work and have hobbies. It’s amazing how many people you can meet and add to your professional network by having hobbies…
3. High Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
Being technical in your field is really important early in your career. For finance that may mean deeply understanding accounting, being a Excel wizard, being the financial model guru, etc.
But that only takes you so far (maybe to about the manager-level). After that, high EQ does A LOT more for your career progression.
What is the biggest difference between people who get stuck at a manager level role versus those that become executives?
The ability to connect the dots and clearly articulate a story that matters.
Almost every good executive I know does this really well. They are great storytellers. As a result, they are also great at facilitating good discussions and debates.
4. Other Recommendations
The grass usually looks greener on the other side. If you have a good boss at a company growing decently well, then sticking around is usually the right answer.
Simply do what you say when you say you will do it.
Take things off your boss’ plate. Be the person they go to when they need help. When your boss leaves or is promoted then you will know how to do most of their stuff already and be the easy replacement.
Be curious and strive to continue to learn. The folks that are just cruising are easy to spot. Be in the driver’s seat. Don’t be a passenger.
Find a boss that is smart and cares about their employees’ success. Your boss will make or break your experience.
Raise your hand to take on new things. Put yourself in the hot seat. The riskiest thing for careers (and companies) is not taking risks.
Ability to manage your time appropriately and prioritize. People who are good at this get SO much more done.
Don’t get too wrapped up in your career that you ignore the rest of your life. Being a miserable person is a great way to derail your career (and your life…).
Final Thoughts
Almost all my advice above builds your network, either directly or indirectly. It’s the most important thing.
It’s similar to the discussion of distribution versus product.
You can have the most amazing product, but without distribution it doesn’t matter. No one will use it if they never hear about it. There are lots of good products.
You can be the perfect candidate, but without a strong network it may not matter.
I receive hundreds (sometimes thousands) of applications for jobs I post. The people I almost always talk to? The ones referred by someone I know.
Footnotes:
Check out the 2026 CFO Agenda. It’s a good read from my friends at NetSuite
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*Nothing contained in this post is investment, legal, tax, or any other kind of advice.
Great post - and I particularly like the point about maintaining your network, which is easily neglected!
The part of networking that often gets skipped is architecture - networks can be very dense, with lots of connections clustered in the same places. It's worth thinking strategically about who is in your network and the purposes they serve. For instance:
- Jobs - the professional ecosystem (auditors, bankers, legal counsel, lenders, etc) often know early when a job becomes available. Executive search firms also offer networking events.
- Information - this could be developing networks vertically (e.g. through the junior ranks of the organisation), or horizontally (across organisational or domain silos). CFOs can be in a strong position to connect information across different departments or siloes. Having better information than others can lead to more information, and also help you to make better decisions.
- Candid advice - think about developing handful of trusted, deep connections where you can can be totally honest.