This week’s interviewee is Rachel Witkin, Senior Marketing Officer at the Museum of Science and Industry Manchester.

1. Biggest mistake in the last year and how you fixed it

While I was in my previous job, I reached the point when it was time for a change. I needed a challenge and started looking for something new. However, this wasn’t as simple as it sounds. I filled in a lot of applications, spoke to recruitment consultants and scoured the internet, but finding the right next move was extremely difficult.

I ended up feeling frustrated with my situation and I didn’t always handle that very well. There were times when I let these feelings take over and this affected both my approach to the role I was still in and my life outside of work.

Luckily, my friends and family were brilliant; they let me vent and offered some great advice when I asked for it. In hindsight, I should have asked for more advice and found some alternative ways to progress my professional development.

Eventually, I stepped back and let myself have a break from it all. I worked on getting the most out of the job I was in and tried to focus on what I really wanted to do in the future. I was patient and soon, the right job for me came along!

2. A light bulb moment

I had a bit of a light bulb moment when reading this article about the difference between the way men and women write and, in particular, women’s tendency to over-use the word “just”.

It really opened my eyes and made me think more about how I write. I used to use “just” all the time and was definitely guilty of trying to “soften” my language, especially in email. This gave me some real food for thought and I’ve been more aware of the language I use since then.

3. Tip for tomorrow

Step away from the desk and hang out in the kitchen for a while. You may end up drinking far too many brews, but it’s a great way to catch up with colleagues, find out what they are working on and come up with new ideas.

Want to share your advice?
NWB confessional style interviews are posted every Monday from people in the business community. They are not self-promoting, or carefully selected quotes to make you sound good. They are full of useful, actionable insights from experience, not egos or bravado. If you like NWB’s style and have something useful to say, we’d love to interview you. Tweet @nowankybollocks or email katie [at] subjectconsulting.com.