When I first jumped into the corporate world of Biopharma, I had this idea that working hard, putting in long hours, being nice to everyone, and taking on as many projects as possible would naturally lead to promotions. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. Instead, I ended up burnt out, stressed, and wondering where I went wrong.
One of the biggest mistakes I made was not being selective about the projects I took on. I thought that saying "yes" to everything would show my dedication, but all it did was spread me too thin. When you juggle too many projects, it's impossible to do them all well. Sure, I nailed a few that I was really interested in, but others were just mediocre. And unfortunately, people tend to remember the things you didn’t do well or the times you didn’t get back to them quickly enough. It’s hard to build trust with your colleagues when you’re constantly overwhelmed and unable to deliver your best work on everything.
Another thing I learned is that there’s a difference between being nice and being kind. I was always friendly and got along well with everyone, but being nice isn’t the same as being genuinely kind. Kindness sometimes means having tough conversations or giving honest feedback when things aren’t working. It’s about being fair and helping others improve, rather than just keeping things pleasant on the surface. I realised that in trying to be nice, I wasn’t always being as helpful or as honest as I could’ve been, which didn’t serve anyone in the long run.
Now, let’s talk about internal advocates. I was lucky to have a lot of leadership noticing me and people who supported me, but I didn’t really know how to make the most of that. I wasn’t intentional about what I needed from them. Smart people know how to leverage their advocates—they ask them to speak to their bosses about the value they’ve brought to a project or to help them get on other projects that will build their experience. I wasn’t doing any of that. I had advocates, but they weren’t doing anything to help move my career forward because I wasn’t asking them to. As a result, I was doing great work, but I was stuck in the same position for years without a promotion.
One of the biggest lessons I learned is the importance of knowing what you want. In the corporate world, it’s crucial to have a clear idea of your career path. Unfortunately, I didn’t know what progression looked like in my function, so I didn’t know what to ask for or work towards. It’s really smart to take time to figure this out, whether it’s through journaling, career workbooks, or even getting a coach or mentor. I’ve seen younger colleagues do this, and I really admire how intentional they are about their career trajectories. Finding a coach who understands your industry or department can make a huge difference - they can help you identify your strengths, gaps, and the right steps to take to move forward.
Without a clear direction, it’s easy to stay stuck, no matter how good you are at your job. Now, I’m much more selective about what I focus on. I ask for what I want and I try to demonstrate leadership by being honest, giving constructive feedback, and putting others forward for opportunities when I can’t take them on myself. It’s about being more intentional in every aspect of my career.
So, those are the mistakes I made - and I’m sharing them with you so you don’t have to make the same ones. If I could go back, I’d be more focused, ask for what I need from my advocates, and be clearer about my career goals. I hope this helps you in your own journey!
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