"I knew from an early age that I didn’t want a 9-5 job, I don’t see the point of working for someone else or being tied to a desk.  I’ve done it, I hated it. I clock watched from 9am Monday to 5pm Friday!!"

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Ahh so many nuggets of wisdom here in Jess' blog post.  From holding her own in the male dominated world of Aerospace to retraining in everything Gardening, Jess briefly flirted with employment once or twice, but it sounds like ultimately freedom was a value she held too dearly to be constricted in that way!  (I hear you Jess!).  Whn I read "You needed experience and qualifications on horticulture and I didn’t have them so I applied anyway."  I literally shouted YES out loud!! (and she got in by the way!)  Let this be a lesson to us all, don't give up too easily or you could be seriously missing out on something wonderful!! I promise you will take something useful and positive away from the story Jess has kindly shared, she's honest about the imposter syndrome that seems to be so familiar to all of us, and yet she had the courage to move forward regardless.  Read it!

 

Tell us a little about yourself – who are you besides the job you do?

Jess, just turned 60, married to Darren for 9 years, 2  grown up children and 2 grown up step children (all left home) 2 cats and some tropical fish.

I have volunteered for the British Red Cross for years, in a shop in the winter when I’m not working, I’m just about to start volunteering at a Charity garden.

My mother was a very self reliant woman, single mother of 5, self employed and I too have been self-employed ‘more or less’ since I was 18.

I never had a ‘life plan’ I’ve just fallen into things which is strange as I’m very much a details person and like certainty/planning.  I’m generally very positive (so people tell me!) and fairly easy going.  I’m interested in everything, don’t sit down a lot, don’t watch TV much. 

I knew from an early age that I didn’t want a 9-5 job, I don’t see the point of working for someone else or being tied to a desk.  I’ve done it, I hated it. I clock watched from 9am Monday to 5pm Friday!! I don’t see the point of corporate life or having to do what a Boss says although of course I have to do what my clients tell me. 

So a bit of a contradiction, I suppose as long as I feel control I’m OK with it.  I was in the Civil Service briefly as a 20 year old and all I kept asking was ‘Why don’t they do this that way?’  I found it all very frustrating. Oddly again I did well and they offered me a promotion.

What do you do now?

I’m a gardener, gardening mentor and garden designer.

What do you love about it?

It's outdoors, I know what I am doing, I like my customers, helping people, and it's creative.

What did you do before and how did you end up there? 

From 1984 - 2005 I owned an aerospace company with my ex husband, mainly Production/Quality/Project Management but with your own business you have to understand everything. It started from nothing and grew over the years. I got CAA approval as a Quality Manager in the early 1990s.  I believe I was the first woman to get it.  I wasn’t formerly trained and I always had imposter syndrome, it was a huge problem for me.

I enjoyed working in an engineering male environment, being the youngest in the room sometimes by decades and a woman in the 80s and 90s had its challenges but could be a lot of fun too.

And I briefly did Facilities Management as an employee 2007-2008.

Why did you decide to change? 

From Aerospace…long story.  I worked with my (now ex ) husband and the marriage failed so someone had to leave and it was me.  We did work side by side every day for 2 years while divorcing but it wasn’t fair on us or the staff so I left. He shouted at me once too often and I’d had enough so it wasn’t the job as such but the marital situation. Desperation was the main motivation. I did find running the business a massive strain because it was constricting in many ways.

I volunteered for the Red Cross for a year and then I joined an office fit out company.  I grew the Facilities Management Department profit by 300% in less than a year, it had potential too.  I was working very hard and needed more help desperately.  They rehired the person who had left and I had replaced, she was a lovely person but ran her own self employed business and her focus was really on that.  So I was working very hard and carrying her too. It became too much so I saw an ad for a college Garden Design Course got accepted and handed my notice in.

How did you decide what to do instead?

I thought ‘what would I do in an ideal world that I would like doing all day, every day?’  I love gardening so decided to do that.  It was something I had had at the back of my mind for but never thought I would do it.  I worried that I wouldn’t like it.

Gardening was a hobby and I suppose I’d thought about doing it for years and years I just didn’t have the motivation, but I was 47 and thought that if I didn’t do it then I never would.

Where did you start when it came to actually making the change?

Applied for the course.  You needed experience and qualifications on horticulture and I didn’t have them so I applied anyway.  Luckily they were 1 person short to run the course so I got accepted as long as I paid upfront.

How did you actually make the change? (training, finances, learning etc)

It was a 2-year course which I could finance myself. 

What were /are the biggest challenges? (internal and external!)

Going back to College after 30 years.  AAGH! Having the courage to go out and do something I had not done before, only as a hobby. Having everyone on the course have previous experience and I had none.  Couldn’t pronounce the Latin names. Couldn’t draw either……..

What advice would you give your younger self?

I made a lot of mistakes in my 20s.  Don’t worry so much.  Get some qualifications, don’t drop out of Uni, don’t get married too young, don’t have children until you are at least 30…. Marry someone you get on with! Concentrate on growing yourself before you have kids!   Do a job you enjoy or at least one that gives you whatever it is that motivates you.  Find out what motivates you! Accept that your motivations will change as you age.  Hang around with positive people. Don’t get bullied into doing things you hate to keep people happy.

How has life changed?

For the better, much calmer, less stressed, more time for myself. Less money. More happiness. More in control.

What do you miss about your previous line of work?

The money.  My employees, we were a great team. I thought the world of them and still miss them.  I do miss the buzz of having a business sometimes but I don’t miss the worry and stress.

What hopes do you have for your future?

Go into teaching.  Gardening is good for your mental and physical health and many people don’t know much about it, so I have started a blog which I hope will develop into something to help people garden. 

What advice would you give to anyone looking to find and pursue a career/job they love?

There will be a big big compromise to do something you actually love.  Probably money. Possibly working hours, life/work balance.  You have to know what is important to you as a person.  To me its freedom. To you it might be status, money, power, helping others, making a difference…. What is it that drives you? The thing that makes you happiest OR the thing that makes you unhappiest.  That’s as valid.  I love freedom but the flip side is I hate constriction.  Same thing just a different perspective.  So I’ll hate having to be in an office at 9am but happily rush to a job I love for 9am! 

Doing something that you enjoy as a hobby may or may not be a good idea.  Doing it at home in your own time may be great, doing it all day long and trying to earn a living is a completely different matter. Keep the day job and do the passion part time first if possible.

Be prepared for knockbacks, things won't always go well, anyone can run a business in easy times, it's when things get tough (ie Covid) that you find out how determined you are.  With the best will in the world you may fail through no fault of your own.

Find people to give you advice but be careful who they are, someone who has actually done what you want to do. People with a lot of experience, ask them questions and listen to what they say. Just chat to them, that advice could be priceless. 

Keep your finances up to date and do your paperwork.  Don’t owe money and don’t be owed money.

What does success mean to you now?

Interesting one.  Ultimate success is individual, to me its doing what I want and having autonomy. How many people can really say they do that?

I love sharing resources!  Are there any resources such as books, blogs, podcasts, courses etc that you'd recommend for people figuring out what they want to do for work and/or getting started?

I do like Mel Robbins.

Where can people find / follow you? (if appropriate)

www.jessjonesgardens.co.uk

I have recently started a blog as well:

www.facebook.com/JessJonesGardens/

www.instagram.com/jessjonesgardens/

 

 

 

 

"The biggest challenge has been in convincing myself that I have a right to speak in a room full of experts....at some point, you must recognise that it can’t always just be luck that means you know how to answer those tricky questions!"

 

Emily's story is an important reminder that not only is career happiness about the actual job you do, but equally as important (if not more) is who you work for and if you're right for each other.  Emily's story reminds you that imposter syndrome, self-doubt and fears show up for us all, even when you've done incredibly well!  This is such an important message (for women especially perhaps), that you can feel those fears and TAKE ACTION anyway, and furthermore you can realise that it's really rather likely that those fears and self-limiting beliefs are unfounded!  Emily certainly has not let them get in her way and she's found career happiness with a great employer!  "there’s something special about National Grid’s culture that enables you to safely push yourself out of your comfort zone, to test your capabilities, and try out new things."

Tell us a little about yourself – who are you besides the job you do?

I live in Stratford-upon-Avon with my husband, two small children, and a naughty kitten. My Twitter bio describes me as “opinionated feminist, reader of books, drinker of wine, lover of cheese” and I probably can’t improve on that description!

What do you do now?

I head up the Customer & Stakeholder team for National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO). We’re the part of National Grid PLC that balances electricity supply and demand on a second-by-second basis, to ensure the lights come on when you flip the switch. We also have a role in enabling the transformation to a sustainable energy system, fit for the future.

In my role, I’m responsible for the Customer Experience Strategy.  I’ve set my team up as a business partnering function, which means that we set the strategy; develop toolkits and guidance based on a combination of customer insights and best practice; then use them to support the wider business to improve the experience they provide to their customers and stakeholders.

What do you love about it?

I’m lucky that there’s a lot to love! I feel like the work of my team is really making a difference.  I love that my role allows me to work with various teams across the organisation, so I’m not siloed in one particular area. It challenges me and gives me interesting problems to solve, so I’m always learning new things. And as a leader, I love that I’m also supporting (and supported by) a fabulous group of dedicated, caring people in my team.

The other thing I love is the organisation. The ESO is such a purpose-driven organisation. I’m surrounded by incredibly clever people, with an incredible pride and passion for the role we play in society today, as well as the role we play in decarbonising the energy system of tomorrow. It feels like we’re working on something that matters, and we’re seen as world leaders in this work. I’m super excited about a new project I’ve got in the pipeline next year, about engaging and supporting consumers in the energy transition.

Perhaps most importantly, the people in the ESO feel like my tribe – I feel accepted and valued here, in a way that I haven’t always felt in other organisations.

What did you do before and how did you end up there?

The first decade of my career was in Human Resources. Having studied English and Politics at university, I didn’t have a fixed idea of what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted a structured graduate scheme that would give me plenty of opportunities to learn and develop. So, I applied for the HR graduate scheme at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), without really knowing where it might take me! I was initially placed in Employee Relations in the manufacturing environment.

Stepping out of university and into a male-dominated, highly-unionised car factory was extremely challenging, but I learned a lot and it gave me a real sense of confidence that I could handle whatever any future roles might throw at me. I left JLR after almost five years to be the Diversity Manager at West Midlands Police, and then to an HR Business Partnering role at Capita PLC. Then I was offered the opportunity to be the UK Employee Relations Manager at National Grid.

Why did you decide to change?

I’d always been ambitious, and I decided that the best way to get ahead in HR in National Grid was to learn more about how the business operated, by stepping out and working in an operational area. That way, I could gain some valuable experience and then take that learning back into the HR function and be a better HR professional. In any other organisation, I probably wouldn’t have considered leaving HR, but there’s something special about National Grid’s culture that enables you to safely push yourself out of your comfort zone, to test your capabilities, and try out new things. Initially, I didn’t see this as a long-term change though – just a temporary learning experience!

How did you decide what to do instead?

After three years in the ER role, National Grid’s UK Executive Director was looking for an Executive Assistant and I was encouraged to apply. This was an exciting role, providing an opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction of the UK business and to find out about the organisation. I was driving and facilitating many of the processes behind business planning, performance, communications and cross-directorate initiatives and projects, whilst providing support to the UK Executive Director in the fulfilment of his role. It felt like a good place to start!

Where did you start when it came to actually making the change?

This was the first time I had done a non-HR role, and it was eye-opening to realise how little I knew about the detail of how the organisation operated and what it was responsible for. But it gave me a great opportunity to undertake some ‘industrial tourism’ – visiting around the business and realising that we didn’t only employ people with engineering backgrounds! I spotted that there were areas where I might be able to add value even though I wasn’t an engineer. So, when it was time to move on from that role, I had to decide whether to take everything I’d learned and go straight back into HR… or continue to explore where the wider business might take me.

Obviously I decided to explore! I was offered a role in the Electricity Market Reform team in the ESO, in a Stakeholder and Business Support role. This meant I was responsible for the stakeholder engagement in complex processes and regulations, as well as all the business assurance processes (which were particularly rigorous in that team, because of the highly confidential and commercially sensitive nature of our work). This was all new to me and was a bit daunting… as well as exciting!

Having embedded a reputation as someone who was capable of building strong relationships, and blessed with some common sense, my next move came a couple of years later when I was asked to lead a project in the Gas System Operator, entitled “The Future Of Gas” – a role which later expanded to include development of a strategy for the future of the GB gas market. This gave me an opportunity to learn about – and help to shape – the role that gas could play in the decarbonised energy future. It was heavily focused on stakeholder engagement across the industry, which I loved. I found it all utterly fascinating, and against all odds, I became a loud and proud Gas Geek!

It was decided to separate the ESO from the rest of the UK business in April 2019, which prompted a restructure of the organisation during which I was offered the Customer & Stakeholder role. So, here I am now, a year and a half later.

How did you actually make the change? (training, finances, learning etc)

By the time I stepped out of HR, I’d been with National Grid for almost four years and I had built a good network of contacts around the company. This meant I had plenty of people I could call upon to pick their brains or ask for help when I didn’t understand things. These were people I was comfortable with, as I felt like I’d already proven myself – so the key to making this change was an encouraging support network, and a culture where it’s safe to take some risks with your career choices.

What were /are the biggest challenges? (internal and external!)

The biggest challenge has been in convincing myself that I have a right to speak in a room full of experts. In my last role, I frequently found myself asking “how have I become the senior manager leading on Gas Commercial Strategy… I’m not an expert on this stuff!” Even when sitting on a panel of specialists at an event at Oxford University, I was waiting to be caught out with a question I couldn’t answer (it never came). Imposter syndrome is common, particularly in women, and I have frequently felt like a fraud, about to be told “OK, you’ve had your fun, now toddle off back to HR where you belong!” Talking about this with my peer group has been immensely helpful – they’ve helped me recognise the value I do bring to the table. And at some point, you must recognise that it can’t always just be luck that means you know how to answer those tricky questions!

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don’t be too hung up on following a pre-defined career path… have a vague idea but flex it as life happens, and grab every exciting opportunity that comes your way, even if it scares you. You should trust in your ability to feel your way through it! I think at some point just about everyone feels like they’re making it up as they go along.

How has life changed?

Since leaving HR, I’ve had my two children, which has probably been the biggest change. The last two roles I’ve had have been done part time.

What do you miss about your previous line of work?

 

Most of what I liked about HR was that it was all about people, and the fact that you deliver on your objectives through good relationships and good communication. Much of that holds true outside of HR too, though. I do still miss being an expert (in employee relations matter, in employment law, in diversity and inclusion, in HR process and procedure, and so on) but I’ve also come to realise that true leadership is about getting the best out of your team. I’m now much better at lifting myself out of the detail to focus on setting the direction, then trusting and empowering people to best use their expertise to get us there.

What hopes do you have for your future?

I hope to continue finding roles that interest and challenge me, and that allow me to continue getting the balance right between work and family.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to find and pursue a career/job they love?

Firstly, know yourself - your own strengths and what gives you job satisfaction. Secondly, think about the kind of organisation that you want to work for so you can be somewhere with a good cultural and ethical fit for you. If you know what motivates you, and what is important to you, then you’re better able to seek out or accept roles that will hit these buttons for you – so you’re more likely to do well, and to shine, which will open more doors for you.

What does success mean to you now?

I feel successful if I believe the work my team is delivering is valued and valuable. This is what motivates me and makes me happy.

I love sharing resources!  Are there any resources such as books, blogs, podcasts, courses etc that you'd recommend for people figuring out what they want to do for work and/or getting started?

Very early in my career I read a book called ‘Dealing with people you can’t stand’… fortunately it doesn’t get much use at National Grid because it’s so full of genuinely good people! Cheesy but true… anyway, one important thing that that book taught me was that you can’t tell other people to change their behaviour and assume this will make it so… but you can change your own behaviour and approach to elicit a different reaction or response.

Where can people find / follow you? 

I’m on twitter! @e_l_leadbetter