If you are new to Cedar & Rush, Work Smarter, Not Harder (WSNH) is a weekly column showcasing Chicago’s leading ladies – think CEO’s, entrepreneurs, and everyday women making a difference – and how they work smarter, not harder. I decided upon Monday so we can kick off the week as productive and as motivated as possible. If you love a particular piece of advice or have any tips of your own, please share by tagging #WSNH2015 on Instagram and Twitter.
I am absolutely thrilled to have one of my dearest and brilliant friends on WSNH today! She was one of my counterparts in Garnish & Glam and I’m telling ya – she gets sh*t done. From sans dinner reservation on a Saturday night, to a huge financial crisis, she is someone you want around in the midst of a problem. I’ve personally witnessed her simplify complicated situations in the blink of an eye. It is true gift and something I have admired about her for years. In addition to becoming an up and coming leader in her industry, she has held several high positions beyond her years. She recently took on a Director position that was initially requesting candidates 5-10 years her senior. She didn’t once see this as an obstacle – which I know many of us would never have even applied. So without further adieu, I welcome Anna Gendel! Take it away lady. Oh and P.S. She is fluent in Russian!
Anna, why don’t you tell us about your career and current position? I am the Director of International Treasury for Gogo, a company that provides in-flight entertainment and internet services to major airlines & private jets. (Basically the service that allows you to check your Insta feed even when you’re 30,000 feet in the air!) I am responsible for supporting Gogo as we expand internationally. This includes everything from making sure your credit card will process no matter where you are buying Gogo services to managing the company’s foreign cash.
How did you get to your current position? I’ve always believed that I can do whatever I set my mind to as long as I work really hard. Nothing falls into your lap, you have to create opportunities. Some tips that worked for me:
- Surround yourself with good mentors.
- Be patient! Too often people feel entitled to the next promotion. You need to prove your value to your boss first and
- Look at the world like you can influence change no matter what level you’re at. Having that outlook allowed me to make valuable changes at large companies even at junior positions, with no real authority. That really helped me move up the corporate ladder. Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo! I also got my MBA from University of Chicago while working full-time. It was a rough couple of years but I think an investment in education will always pay off.
What time do you typically get up in the morning? 6:45ish AM… I am guilty of hitting the snooze button…
How do you take your coffee and what do you typically eat for breakfast? I’ve been trying to cut back on coffee in the mornings and have been opting for green smoothies or green tea instead. However, if it’s a really brutal Monday morning, I will treat myself to a soy latte. I usually eat a Greek yogurt or a Kind bar for breakfast.
Quickly walk us through your morning routine: First thing I do is quickly skim my emails to make sure there is nothing urgent that came in overnight. Working for international companies means your nighttime is Asia’s daytime so I’m used to a lot of overnight email traffic. Then I shower, get ready, and walk to work. I have been very fortunate to have jobs that are very close to home (kind of by design). I am not a morning person and hate feeling like I’m wasting time sitting in traffic when I could be doing so many more productive things instead. Once I get into the office, I drink my tea and eat my yogurt while going through emails and catching up on the morning news. Daily Skimm is my favorite!
What is the best way to get your foot in the door of your dream job? I actually got my job the old-fashioned way, by applying through the generic HR email address, not because I knew someone at Gogo. In fact, this has worked for all three employers that I have worked for (previous positions were at Kraft and Wrigley). The key is to tailor your resume and cover letter to the company AND the specific position. It’s okay to apply to a position if you don’t have every single requirement listed on the job description. Use the cover letter to tell your story, it helps fill in those gaps and makes it more personal. I am a huge believer in networking but I don’t think people talk enough about the value of applying for jobs the old-fashioned way. Linkedin is a great source for finding job openings and connecting with people. That’s how I found the position at Gogo
What resources do you use to stay organized and remember tasks? I LOVE lists… I make lists for everything… books I want to read, restaurants I want to go to, groceries, errands I need to run and my daily work to do list, just to name a few. I just got the Emily Ley Simplified Planner which I adore. It helps me keep all my lists in one place. I also couldn’t survive without my iPhone calendar and notes.
What mistake do you see people constantly make that they should be aware of? This is hard because we are all guilty of making mistakes… I would probably say one of the biggest mistakes I see are people being too arrogant in the workplace. They think what can this company do for me? Why am I not being promoted faster? Why do I need to listen to my boss when I know I’m right? This comes off looking very immature and insecure. One of my very first managers once told me that my job is to make my boss’s life easier. This does not mean you need to get his coffee every morning but if you make your boss see you as an invaluable resource who makes their life easier, then they will do everything in their power to keep you happy and promote you. If your attitude and actions stress out your boss or makes working with you a challenge, they are much less likely to want to keep you around, yet alone promote you.
How do you conquer your inbox? When I get into the office, I go through all my emails, answering the easy ones right away and flagging the harder ones to come back to later. I’m a bit type A (okay… more than a bit) so it drives me crazy to see unread email notifications.
How do you format your emails? It depends…. Sometimes it’s straight to the point. If it’s someone I haven’t spoken to in a while, then I will layer in some nice chit-chat. I try to keep things short and sweet but email can get so misconstrued! If I think there’s a chance of that, I air on the side of caution and make sure I’m really making myself clear to avoid any confusion.
How do you make time for working out and staying healthy? As I mentioned, I am not a morning person so I hit the gym after work and on weekends. I am a member at East Bank Club and I love it because it gives me so much variety on what I can do there, which motivates me to go. I get bored easily with my workouts so I usually do cardio on my own but then switch it up by taking a bunch of classes…yoga, Pilates, spin, barre. I love that I don’t have to commit in advance to any one class since my schedule can change on a whim.
What are your favorite tips for keeping an organized workspace? I hate clutter so I try to have as many drawers and folders as possible. I recently started using OneNote which I love because it allows me to keep my notes digitally instead of having a bunch of paper and notebooks on my desk. I try not to print a lot, mainly because I hate the clutter and it’s good to be Green, bonus!
What other pieces of advice/tips can you share? Whenever you get an opportunity to travel, take it! I know it can be hard to take time off of work or justify spending the money, but the amazing experiences make it worth it. Not only does travel allow you to collect memories that last a lifetime, it also allows you to become a more cultured and well-rounded person which ultimately helps in the workplace as well.
Favorites:
* Favorite Apps: Instagram, The Weather Channel, Open Table, Linkedin Jobs (different app than Linkedin), Snapchat, and my new fav Amazon Prime Now!
* Favorite Resources: People! Life tends to be more about who you know instead of what you know.
* Favorite Books: I don’t really re-read books so it’s hard to pick a favorite… I’m currently reading The Luckiest Girl Alive and I highly recommend it!
* Favorite Programs: I’m a sucker for reality television… Real Housewives, Top Chef, Million Dollar Listings, and pretty much any home remodel show on HGTV.
* Favorite Websites: Amazon, Foodnetwork.com, CNN & Yahoo for news
* Favorite Gadget: All my Apple products… iphone, ipad, MacBook… and my portable charger to charge them all on the go!
Tell me you don’t love Anna’s advice?! Anna, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to share with us how you have gotten where you are today. You are truly a role model and cannot wait to see where you are in 5, 10, 20 years from now! Keep building that empire and so proud of you!
Want more? You can find all Work Smarter Not Harder posts right here.
Great advice on balancing out patience and providing value on the one hand, but on the other hand not holding back when you want something!
I love how positive she is! It’s always fantastic advice to believe in yourself!
You say that the biggest mistake you see is people who behave arrogantly to be promoted faster than others believe is natural. This article stated that your current job initially required an additional 5 to 10 years of experience that you didn’t have yet. How did you get the Gogo job while not presenting yourself in an arrogant way since you didn’t meet the requirements? Every girl needs a strategy! Thanks, Becca
Great advice about working hard while making an impact in your current role and making your boss’s job easier!! Once you realize that new doors open for you!