Top tips on engaging with the CareersPlus team

Careers Coach Jeff Slater explains the great range of support provided by the CareersPlus team.

At the time I started writing this, England had just won another match in the 2024 Euros due to extra time. In fact, due to penalties (who knew!?). 

Since then, there has been heartache for England, again. (58 years of hurt will never stop us dreaming, though.) 

Pressure comes to us all at different points in our careers. Using some football analogies from England’s team at the 2024 Euros, here are some top tips on engaging with the CareersPlus service at WBS. 

Do a Jude 

Jude Bellingham’s bicycle kick in the last 2 minutes of extra time has to be one of the highlights of the tournament. Sometimes you can pull it out of the bag with an astonishing and unexpected play to jump to the next step in your career. However, remember that there is sometimes a lot of groundwork to cover first – there are 93 minutes of play before the glory moment, as it were. 

Also, remember that for every Jude Bellingham, there’s a Kyle Walker, throwing in the ball to lead to a super exciting finish. Maintain your connections and build your network: this is something CareersPlus and the Alumni team can help you with, pointing you in the right direction.  

In addition, remember that your MBA studies at Warwick can contribute to your career development. Complete consulting projects as part of your assignment requirements (including your dissertation) to expand your network and share your expertise. 

Go for a Walker-bout: Push Forward and Flex Your Role 

In England’s semi-final match against The Netherlands, Kyle Walker moved up the pitch a lot from his position as a right-back. One commentator said that it was more like he was playing the role of a winger.  

It might be that in your career you feel stuck in a thankless role. We all have our part to play (‘someone’s gotta do it’, as we sometimes tell our friends and family), but it could be that now is the time for you to create your own opportunity(ies). Pushing up to midfield may have left the defence a little thinner on the ground, but Walker’s tactic was one way of applying pressure to the Dutch midfield. Spread the play – try a secondment to a different department, or take up a collaboration project that breaks down the silos in your organisation. It might not only be your team and loved ones that thank you – your career could be boosted by the additional experience and exposure. 

Southgate’s Strategy – Play the Long Game 

Gareth Southgate, England’s manager, drew some criticism in earlier matches in the tournament for his team’s not scoring until later in the game. However, his strategies did work (at least to some extent) as the team did make it to the final. 

In HBR article The Leadership Odyssey (Ibarra et al, 2023:106), Ibarra et al. write about ‘outside-in learnings’ - imported learnings from other environments. These can help broaden your horizons.  

Southgate made use of outside-in learnings by getting the England team to, for example, play golf. Golf, usually an individual sport, teaches patience and other skills that the players could bring back into their team play. Plus, it’s a lot of fun as this video shows. 

At CareersPlus, we suggest using the MBA as a great way to learn from those outside your own sector or area of expertise. This might be through assignments or your dissertation project. It might also be from our CareersPlus Leadership & Development days and events throughout your programme. Don’t miss out! (Plus, remember to have fun!) 

Bounce Back-a Like Bukayo Saka 

4 years ago, in the Euros final against Italy, Bukayo Saka was one of three players who missed a penalty. He was subject to horrendous racist abuse after this. To watch some of Saka’s performance in this most recent tournament, you might never have guessed that he had his bad days. 

Taking a risk early in your career can lead to success or, what might seem at the time like a big failure. Most people would say, however, that they learn more from the failures than the successes, so all is not lost. 

Maybe you think that a mistake early in your career has (or will) set you back for life. It doesn’t have to. Resilience, bounceback, determination, grit: these are all words that slip easily off the keyboard on a LinkedIn post but are much harder to put into practice. Through your Spotlight profile, which will be debriefed with you by a Spotlight Accredited Practitioner with the CareersPlus team, you will learn insights suited to your personality that might help build your ability to come back from setbacks.  

Conclusion 

It may not have come home for England this time, but you could be coming home from your dream role before too long. Make the most of your MBA to help prepare you for long-term career success! We’re with you all the way.