“It's our 100th anniversary today, making us one of the oldest still operating airlines in the world ... A big thank you to everyone who's been part of our journey 💙”
I stumbled upon the above on my feed today and it got me thinking.
You know how we tend to remove former experiences that don’t directly connect the dots of our careers in the expected ways from our resumes? It’s easy to give in to the pressure to make it look like you’ve always known what you want to become and how you’ve gone linearly towards that.
It's of course wonderful if you have an adamant dream job and moodboards to prove it, but it’s as if that's the only definition of ambition and professional success. Sure, there's now more talk about the value of generalists, for example, but certain paths are more often than not still valued above others.
I find this kind of thinking both boring and limiting. I think having diverse experiences, studying different fields, and breaking the rules a bit is the key to becoming an insightful professional – and most importantly, having a life that looks like you. It’s part of the tapestry of our identities after all.
My time as a Finnair flight attendant was shorter than I would have liked since I had my other job and Master’s thesis to prioritize at the time. It's still just as significant to me as any experience in my “own” field. Maybe even more so: I got to dive (or fly) into a whole new world, learn about its realities, and challenge my way of thinking. It was also a great reminder that while we may think we know a lot about something just because we've witnessed it many times, that's usually not the case ☝️ There’s typically a lot more than meets the eye.
Finnair, now 100 years old, will get a new CEO soon. I would challenge the ones making the decision to not overlook those who actually have experience in the realities of the daily work – combined with the obvious competencies that such a position requires of course. Will we see a former flight attendant as the next CEO? I don't think so but maybe around the next jubilee.
Happy birthday Finnair and thank you to everyone who keeps ensuring the safety of the blue wings one flight after another 🦋
Sr. Customer Success Manager @ Autodesk | Helping enterprise customers build and accelerate their path to value with our industry - leading design and make solutions.
11moAwesome Nate!