The 5 Words Anyone Stuck In Their Career Path Needs to Hear, According to This Manager

Bridgette Marsh has five words for anyone stuck contemplating what their next career move should be: “Go where you are wanted.”

A senior manager at Southern California Edison, Marsh adds, “Not every manager will be interested in your growth. Work for the ones that are.”

This belief — that a balance should be struck between what you give to an employer and what they give to you — is partially what’s led Marsh to stay at SCE for more than 15 years. In her time working for the utility company, she’s had numerous opportunities to develop and expand her career, trying on different hats and seeing which ones best suit her.

“I’ve had the ability to explore several jobs within SCE, from engineering to planning to project management to strategy and now performance management,” she said. “Early in my career, some of my job moves were exploratory and they helped me learn what I like in my work, in my boss and in my work environment.” 

Southern California Edison Is Hiring! Browse Opportunities.

Having the ability to explore different functions and try out new ways of solving for challenging problems keeps Marsh on her toes. Recently, she spoke with Fairygodboss about what advancing her career these past 15 years has looked like, as well as the most memorable piece of career advice she’s ever received. 

What’s your title at SCE? 

I’m the acting senior manager of Performance Management in our Transmission and Distribution operating unit. I also serve as the current president of Women’s Roundtable, SCE’s first and longest running Business Resource Group, which boasts a membership of over 1,200 women and men across the company.

How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?

I’ve been in my current role for six months. Previously, I was a senior advisor responsible for leading the development of the annual strategic plan for our Transmission & Distribution unit.

What do you do in your role? 

Today, I lead a team responsible for managing execution of our unit’s strategic plan. This includes evaluating progress toward our goals, providing analysis for our performance and developing corrective actions for goals that are off-track. 

What’s the first thing you do at work every day? 

I like to start my day off walking around and checking in with my team. I’m the newest member of the team, so it’s important to me to find time to connect as much as possible.

What’s the most unique or interesting aspect of your company? 

In a time when many employees move on from companies after two to three years, it’s not uncommon for our employees to stay five, 10, even 40 years with SCE. Many of our employees have multiple careers at Edison and they are proud of it. 

What are you currently reading, watching or listening to?

I subscribe to over 60 podcasts on a variety of topics such as economics, the workplace, social science, entrepreneurship, food and pop culture. Some of my favorites right now are The Indicator from Planet Money, Dear HBR, Women at Work, Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders, Friction, Hidden Brain and Akimbo. Listening to these podcasts help me explore, challenge and expand my own thinking.

A lot of people believe that developing your career means changing companies, and not infrequently. What has enabled you to develop/advance your career without job hopping?

The decision to stick with or move on from a company will involve several factors, and the right answer will be personal and will change with the times. I’ve had the ability to explore several jobs within SCE. Early in my career, some of my job moves were exploratory and they helped me learn what I like in my work, in a boss and in my work environment. I also learned that, even though I had trained as an engineer, I had a growing interest in solving business problems. So I began to seek out opportunities to build on that interest. 

Ultimately, what has led you to stay at your company?

I’m here because there are interesting problems to solve.

What’s the most memorable piece of career advice you’ve received?

Go where you are wanted. Not every manager will be interested in your growth. Work for the ones that are.

--

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Southern California Edison. Find a job there today!