Another blog?
Well yes. I have another blog that I (occasionally) update at joemccaffery.com. That has more to do with my personal life though. I also used that blog to play around with various affiliate programs, ad words, and analytic tools.
The focus of this blog is on the various topics and challenges I encounter in my professional life. I’ve been working at eBay, both as a consultant with Accenture and as a full-time employee, since 2002. I’ve seen a lot of unique challenges in my time there – technical and non-technical a like.
Over the years, as the scope of my role has grown, I’ve become increasingly responsible for addressing those challenges and for solving the problems they pose. This blog is intended to be a place where I can document and share what I learn on this journey.
The truth is that this has been something I’ve wanted to do for a while. During my 2010 annual review I received some interesting feedback from Bob Page who, fortunately for me, happens to be the VP of my current organization.
I’m fortunate to have a guy like Bob that I can talk to (or vent at) because he’s one of the few people that I’ve met who has been through many of the same challenges I’m currently working through. I know this because on more than one occasion, just when my rant is hitting full steam, he’ll finish my sentence.
It was kind of creepy the first few times it happened. Over time I began to realize that 1.) He does not possess some kind of psychic, mind-reading capability and 2.) I am not the only person that has been through these challenges before.
I’ve worked with Bob for less than a year, but I’ve learned a lot from him. In short, the feedback he provided me in my annual review was that I need to be more visible if I’m serious about getting my career to the next level.
I’m paraphrasing, but he basically said, “I’m surprised how often your name comes up when we’re talking about different issues. You’re obviously not just a product manager that is managing other product managers. You’re more like a guy working in a start-up; willing to do whatever needs to be done because you recognize what’s in the best interest of the company. That’s great, for the company, but you need to make sure people are aware of all that you’re doing so that you are credited for all of the work that you do.”
That’s easier said than done for me. I love to talk (as anyone who knows me will tell you), but I hate to talk about myself. I’m hoping this blog will be a happy medium. A place where I can share all of the things I’m working on, but in a way that is not all about me…
