Taking ownership of your career is one of the biggest challenges that any business professional faces. In many cases one is so focused on doing the job, we do not ask ourselves: does what we are doing currently fit with our career goals?
What is required is a clear and definitive career plan, and like any plan, this needs clear goals and specific targets. Forward planning and forward thinking are critical, in addition to regular reviews.
In too many cases, a career assessment or review is driven by a crisis. Whether that is due to redundancy, company re-structuring, or not being selected for a more senior role, or some other issue, it is only then that one’s career comes into sharp focus. Other issues can then also come to the surface: fear of loss of earnings, worry about the impact of change on both you and / or your family, fear of change, self-doubt, and self-confidence.
In other cases, it can be that a successful career leads you to a space where your personal motivation, sense of achievement and fulfilment, or your personal values are no longer being realised.
Or it could be that you know that some change is required, but cannot clearly articulate what it is exactly about where you are now in your career that is not delivering for you. This can lead to inertia which, together with the fear of moving, can be frustrating.
This is why Peter started “Career Development Associates”. To provide a structured method to analyse your career aspirations, define your career goals, and put in place a sales and implementation plan for you to achieve these. Does this guarantee success? No. Does it provide you with a method for you to own your career, and be accountable for it? Yes.
Peter has had a successful corporate career in sales and marketing internationally, having worked internationally in Europe and Latin America, in addition to being accountable for leading consumer brands globally. He has been based in the U.K., Belgium, The Netherlands, Mexico and Ireland in key Head of Function and Board positions.
He has broad experience in leading and managing International Sales Teams, and managing International Distribution Networks. He is highly accomplished in leading local teams through change and consolidation projects, whilst delivering strong business growth. He possesses a wide array of business disciplines, together with detailed knowledge and understanding of the priorities that drive business growth.
In his career, he has experienced challenges following business change and consolidation, which led to Peter personally going through redundancy on two occasions. This led to him to proactively change careers, and to apply his expertise of change and the impact of this on individual professionals, to organisations in supporting both the business and staff through challenging transformation projects. He also worked in the interim and permanent recruitment industry.
In working with business professionals across sectors and levels, Peter identified that many of them only really examined their careers at times of crisis, for example the fear of or actual redundancy or personal change. This led him to start “Career Development Associates”.
“Career Development Associates” provides structured and focused support for working professionals to enable them to take ownership of their own careers. This includes evaluating career change and identifying opportunities, managing a career through redundancy, identifying the individual’s areas of expertise and the impact that has made in their career, selling their expertise (interviewing and résumés), networking successfully, and effecting career development.
Peter’s previous career detail:
- Associate Director – Executives Online Ireland / Irish Search Partners
- Joint Managing Director – TRANSITIONireland
- Marketing Director – Musgrave Cash & Carry / Foodservices
- International Sales & Marketing Director – Irish Distillers, (Pernod Ricard)
- Regional Director, Southern Europe – R&A Bailey and Co., (Diageo plc)
- Managing Director, Sales and Marketing – Bols BV, (then part of Remy-Cointreau)
- Sales and Marketing Director – Casa Cuervo
- Sales Account Manager – R&R Donnelly / Irish Printers
- Marketing Executive – Tosara Products
Peter’s qualifications:
- BSc (Management) – Trinity College, Dublin
- Export Marketing Post Graduate – Louvain, Belgium
- Qualified Trainer