Friendly Advice for Front-Line Employees Wanting Corporate Opportunities
Published on October 28, 2017
Front-line employees are the backbone of many businesses. Their direct interactions with customers can make or break a loyal customer. People spend years working in retail channels or call centers, with hopes of getting promoted, or making more money.
Many front-line employees have a college education, and have goals of obtaining a corporate position. They have additional experience and skills that can be very useful to a corporation. Some of these skills include certifications in real estate, accounting, and IT. The problem is many feel stuck in their roles, or have had negative experiences applying for higher positions. The risk here is that front-line employees may be missing opportunities, or may just need the right coaching or mentor to get them to a better position. The business could also be missing out on an employee who can provide better insights into trends in the retail and call center areas, as well as areas of opportunity for growth.
As someone who started in retail and now works in corporate, here are my observations that have worked for me so far. It may not work for everyone, but I am hoping this can provide a guide to some to go for their goals.
Education - If you see a specific area that you want to work in (i.e. IT, Finance, Marketing, etc...), see if your current education and certifications are aligned with the roles of that department. If so, reach out to leaders in that field to see what would be needed to be considered for jobs in said department. If not, you may want to reach out to someone whom works in that field to see what skills would be needed. You may be able to start small with certifications if you do not have the time or money for degrees. If your company offers tuition assistance, take advantage of that opportunity to help you obtain the needed education. For those interested in analyst roles, obtain skills in the following: 1) Microsoft Excel (Macros and pivot tables are necessary). 2) Powerpoint (make content "pretty", and easily digestible for best results). 3) SQL/Teradata to pull large amounts of information from data warehouses, and analyze results. 4) Any systems related to your interested fields. If you are unsure of what systems are used, look at job postings for the role, or, just ask someone in that field. Finally, Youtube, Lynda.com, and Khan academy have valuable lessons on many of these applications at little to no cost.
Shadowing - If you are given an opportunity to shadow a different department, DO IT! It's one of the best ways to network, and find out if a department or role is a good fit. I've seen experiences go both ways, where the person was determined to get a job in the department. Or the other way, where the person found that the role wasn't right for them. If nothing else, you meet new people, and learn about a new opportunity in the business.
Networking -I KNOW, I know, this is a "cliche" response. But it really works! Internal open houses and meet and greets are more useful than it seems. I remember going down to events and meeting people in different departments. They provided information about the departments but didn't have job openings. It left my peers and I frustrated, and questioning if it was worth the effort. What I didn't realize is that my conversations with people from these events would benefit me years later. When my call center was relocating to another state, I was looking for a position in my area. One of the positions I was interviewing for had a person that I interacted with in an internal open house a few years back. I would say hi to them whenever I saw them at work. This person was one of the people who recommended me for the role. Other people I know have had similar experiences where their networking from these events helped them get a promotion. While the timing of these promotions can vary, the results were still similar. Moral of the story: Never underestimate the power of face to face communication.
Finally, I would say that the right management and peers can take your pursuits a long way. This becomes necessary during times where you are getting nothing but rejections for another job. If you are in a situation where your managers may not provide you with the guidance or support needed, look elsewhere, and don't give up. Ask advice from those whom are considered leaders in their field, or employees that are looked highly upon due to their work ethic and code of conduct. They may be able to provide the missing piece of the puzzle needed for your promotion.
Have a minimum of a second pair of eyes look at your resume, and provide feedback to improving it. Some HR representatives are very interactive with employees and management. You can reach out to them for feedback and advice as well. Keep in mind, people are flooded with duties and deadlines. Planning a short meeting in their calendars, or meeting someone on a coffee break may work best. Have your goals and questions outlined for best results. You can even send them in advance, if it will help fit in time for you to meet with them.
I hope this advice helps, and to see more front-line employees make it to corporate. If you have any questions or comments, leave me a message. Good luck!