Alumni Stories - Alison Duncanson
As a Chartered Psychologist, I have worked for most of my career with people, from graduates to senior business leaders, consulting on change projects, designing assessment centres and developing leaders.
As we all know these are unprecedented and difficult times. Something I want to say as an organisational psychologist is that to be able to navigate something as difficult as this and find a way forward can give you enormous strength as you embark on your career.
- When graduates start work, they are often very bright, used to things going well for them, getting the results they want, deciding a plan, putting the plan into action and succeeding. The reality of work, but particularly the reality of complex organisations and the world of change in organisations is that this does not always happen.
So if you can start the journey of your career with some experience of navigating change, uncertainty and finding a way forward when presented with setbacks, this can only help you to build some of the skills needed for a successful career.
You can deepen your personal and professional development with any adverse experience and as an employer I would be looking at how you have handled your setback and transformed it for good.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- How can I use the challenges I am facing to strengthen skills for my future career?
- What opportunities may be open to me currently to develop my employability?
- What different path or mindset do I need in the short term to move forward?
Inspired to share your own story? Please email alumni at warwick dot ac dot uk