Pictured above clockwise from top left: Jessica Crowley, Maegan Lujan, Arial Montag, Dino Pagliarello, David Scibetta, Adam Weiss
The Cannata Report’s June Young Influencer’s issue features a virtual panel of six past Young Influencers. In that feature, these still youthful veterans of the office technology industry share what they’ve been up to since we last profiled them, the best advice they’ve received in their professional careers, and the lessons learned during the past 18 months.
In this bonus digital edition of our virtual panel, we’ve asked our past Young Influencers what advice they have for young people entering our industry.
The panel includes:
· Jessica Crowley, senior vice president, Copier Careers
· Maegan Lujan, director, solutions and services marketing, Toshiba America Business Solutions
· Arial Montag, talent acquisition leader, GreatAmerica Financial Services Corp.
· Dino Pagliarello, senior vice president, product management and planning, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA
· David Scibetta, executive vice president and chief information officer, Copier Fax Business Technologies
· Adam Weiss, general manager, Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office.
Crowley: Our clients rarely ask us to source completely green candidates. They know they can use us to find experienced industry professionals. We do, however, work to bring fresh candidates over from compatible industries. In those cases, my first step is to sell them on the direct channel by discussing their professional goals and laying out ways the industry can help meet those goals.
I recently spoke with a young sales professional who was selling B2C. He said the problem with his current career path was upward mobility—there wasn’t a path to promotion or significant compensation increases. He also said he wanted his work to matter. He was unfamiliar with our industry, so I laid it all out, highlighting what he could achieve with our clients. I explained the value the industry brings in providing solutions to help businesses meet their goals. I was honest about the challenges but emphasized that the effort he puts in would be rewarding both financially and personally.
For technically minded candidates new to the industry, I find out the specifics of their skill sets and preferences. The industry’s ongoing evolution to offer increasingly sophisticated solutions offers plenty of opportunity and variety to them. The ones who prefer mechanical work are interested in hybrid-service roles to both meet their hands-on preferences, but also to help them grow their technical skills. Candidates looking for IT opportunities want to learn and work in our clients’ managed-services divisions.
Lujan: I fell in love with this industry not only because of my original knowledge base in it, but also because I had a strong curiosity about technology. You can have a long and successful career within technology if you are truly curious and passionate about it.
There are so many areas where we use technology, and this leads to a wide variety of jobs and opportunities. I encourage any young person that is curious about tech to explore, learn, and see all the spaces you can establish yourself in a career you’ll love. One that will help you grow beyond anything you could imagine.
And never stop learning.
Montag: Whether they’ve found themselves in this industry by choice or happenstance, here’s what I’d say: You are lucky to be a part of this industry. We have a rich history of innovation and growth, with people who have years of expertise and the willingness to listen to new ways of doing things. Leverage this! Connect with those individuals in the industry who would happily share their knowledge to help you learn the industry, and then, don’t be afraid to dream up something new together. The best thing about our industry is the people you meet when you immerse yourself. We have a strong ecosystem ready to be tapped by the next generation of talent.
Pagliarello: Essentially, you get out of this industry what you put into it. The bottom line is if you work hard but smart, this business gives back. It is a great industry that is constantly changing. I’ve never been bored at work a day in my life.
Scibetta: Be ready for the hardest grind you can imagine. If you can last, it will be worth every ounce of sweat.
Weiss: Set clear goals. Work hard. Trust your gut, people won’t always agree with you. Make sure you have fun!
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