The importance of the career pyramid and data analytics
- akim440
- May 12, 2021
- 3 min read
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On Tuesday, March 30, 2021, Lindsay Smelser, current head of marketing and product development at Toyota Financial Savings Bank, addressed a group of students enrolled in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. In her guest speaker appearance, Smelser outlined how her unique career path, spanning across a multitude of industries and positions ranging from aviation and travel at American Airlines to finance at American Express and Toyota National Savings Bank, has taught her the importance of the career pyramid and the power of data, research and analytics when aiming to draw targeted insights.
Transitioning from one job position to another is very challenging. Working for numerous companies in varying industry sectors while adopting a different job position than the previous can be even more challenging. In order to maximize one's professional experience and overall knowledge, Smelser emphasized the importance of the career pyramid. People should aim to establish a strong foundation of experience. Working for large corporations, perhaps one that you idolize, can provide industry experience that enables one to transition between jobs and industries while providing business knowledge and experience that is valuable, necessary, and applicable to smaller businesses or new start-ups. So, when one finally does transition jobs or joins a small start-up, “…[they] know exactly what has to happen…” in order to launch these new ventures successfully. Once arriving at their new start-up position, they have an established in-depth understanding of how various departments or teams are supposed to communicate or interface, enabling them to enter a leadership role due to prior corporate and professional experience.
The various positions Smelser has held throughout her professional career at companies of varying size have differed in role and job description, leading Smelser to develop an appreciation for data, analytics and research. Smelser always classified herself as a strategic planner and creative influencer; however, upon completing her first research report, Smelser was shocked, impressed, and even a little scared with the specific insights she could conclude from her research. These insights took Smelser’s ability to strategize to new heights. All of the information she needed was within her reach, eliminating guess work. Smelser likened working with a lack of data, analytics and statistics when researching potentially valuable insights to boiling the ocean. “The research and data helps us hone in where we should focus. Instead of boiling the ocean, I know that I just need to focus on this contingent.” From a business perspective, the narrowing of research requirements so that target demographics and therefore conclusions drawn are more specific and targeted, translates to saved dollars for the business. While many creative or strategic professionals such as Smelser are not excessively passionate about numbers pertaining to data, research or analytics, the financial numbers relating to a company’s success or research budget are often influenced by the data and statistical numbers concluded from research, as these figures can prove that the project or product their creating will have a sufficient return on investment.
Smelser’s professional experience demonstrated how establishing a solid career pyramid routed in corporate experience can open doors to leadership in alternate business and industry settings. Upon arrival at these new positions, the effective implementation of data and statistic analytics/research will financially benefit the entity as a whole, while providing more targeted and specific insights. While Smelser may outline her strengths as creativity and strategy, her strong career pyramid and use of effective data/statistical research have clearly played a pivotal role in her ability to adapt to different corporate structures and job positions.
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