PREPARING FOR A BIGGER JOB: REAL ADVICE FROM NEWLY PROMOTED JESSE NOLL

DLE Alum and former Advisory Board Member Jesse Noll is on Cloud 9!

This month, he was promoted from Manager to Associate Director on the Content team at the New York City-based agency Wavemaker. The promotion, nearly 2-½ years in the making, was an achievement that Jesse actively sought.

In his new role, Jesse will be responsible for strategic thinking and team leadership, managing a team of seven people who are largely remote from coast to coast working on the IKEA and Novo Nordisk accounts.

How did Jesse get ready for this promotion? He offers three tips for stepping up and advocating for yourself to get that bigger job that you’ve dreamed about.

1. Embrace challenge. I took on responsibilities that I didn’t need to. I challenged myself by becoming the main lead on a project that demanded skills that I didn’t have. I had to rethink processes, not follow the status quo, and offer new ways of thinking. I pushed myself to improve my problem-solving skills and took on opportunities that led to the growth of my team.
2. Build internal networks. Networking up and across is essential. Take on new projects that connect you with new teams. I had direct contact with senior leaders in one-on-one conversations to let them see how I operate as a leader. Make opportunities happen. For example, I recently led an all-agency meeting on Pride Month that connected me with the agency’s CEO. By building that relationship, I was able to stay connected with her after the event, and I continue to have opportunities to speak with her directly.
3. Improve delegation skills. I realize that managing a larger team will be a learning process. In my prior job, I had one direct report, so I’ve been used to doing a lot of the project work. Now, with seven people, I need to delegate some of the day-to-day work. This means getting comfortable with tasks taking longer than usual as people learn, and it also means recognizing that mistakes will happen. My role requires that I let go and provide feedback. At the end of the day, I realize that giving opportunities for growth and practice is my new key responsibility.

As he embarks on this role, his team is also launching a massive and unique campaign for one of his clients – IKEA. July 26 was the launch of the first episode of The Bizarre Case of Ivy Kay, a three-part true-crime-inspired series presented in partnership with Buzzfeed Unsolved.

The series chronicles the peculiar case of Ivy Kay, and in this first episode, you get to learn the details of her case and why her loved ones are concerned. Keep an eye out for the final two episodes launching on August 2 and August 9! Jesse says you won’t want to miss this! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/BuzzFeed/posts/366013874938324