#definingmoments Defining Career Moments

I believe there is gold in identifying and sharing defining career moments. I would like to pose a challenge to my fellow Bees - let's write a post about one moment that defined the direction of our careers. If you write a similar post, consider using the hashtag #definingmoments and posting it to the Career Hive. Also, place a link to the story in the comments below. If you do not write simply place your story in the comments below.

I was inspired by an article written by my friend Glenn Leibowitz. His post was about a defining decision that he made, almost twenty years ago, to crash a recruiting party that was being hosted by a large global firm recruiting for its China office. The firm was recruiting summer interns and full-time associates from the business school he was attending. Glenn had not been formally invited to the party; however, once he heard about the event, he became determined to attend, even though he hadn’t been formally invited. That big decision led to a job offer as a full-time associate at the firm. Twenty years later he is still happily employed by the same firm and living in Taipei with his family.

One defining moment for me happened in 1994 at the base of an escalator in our local shopping mall. I ran into my friend and fellow commerce student Steve Pomroy. When I asked him what he planned to do during his upcoming work term, he replied that he planned to start his own business. That piqued my interest, and I followed up with him to learn more. That moment in the shopping mall led to a partnership that exposed me to entrepreneurship, technology, and, most importantly, sales. It also led to a networking opportunity fifteen years later when I decided to make a permanent career move into sales. When I look at where I am presently in my career, I realize that one chance encounter was a defining moment on which a lot has been built.

I believe we all have defining moments like the ones that Glenn and I experienced. I also feel that there is much to learn from reliving these defining career moments and sharing them with others.

I would like to make a suggestion to those who regularly contribute here on beBee. Tell your story. If you decide to do so, please use the hashtag #definingmoments and post it to the Career Hive. Also, place a link to the story in the comments below. If you do not write simply place your story in the comments below.