I’ve learned that you don’t get what you don’t ask for.

Here’s where this has been proven in my career:

🎙 Creating an Internal Podcast 🎙
When I was at Ubisoft, I was part of the Women’s ERG and was inspired to bring more conversations about video games to this group. There was an appetite to talk about games, no matter what level of interest, but mostly to have a safe space to do it. So I founded the Women ERG Gaming podcast for Ubisoft San Francisco. I asked to do it, pitched the plan, got the green light, and executed it with other women who were interested. Even after I’ve left, I’ve heard that it’s still on-going!

🎤 Speaking Engagements 🎤
I believed in my strength as a speaker, but wanted more practice. I also wanted to do it because I have value and insights that I can share. I was motivated to continue to help others and felt I could do this through another medium and platform other than LinkedIn. So I started reaching out. I started with my alma mater, organizations I was part of, even my own friends and connections. I pitched myself and topics I could speak on. Fast forward 2 years, I still ask, but also have people reaching out to me directly.

🎓 New Pillar for Alumni Network 🎓
Being part of the founding board of directors for the Filipino Alumni Network at my alma mater meant we had a blank canvas to work with. After the first year, there was still so much opportunity to elevate our network. So I pitched the Professional Development pillar, where we would offer growth and development opportunities to our alumni, to cultivate their experiences beyond their SJSU experience. I now proudly serve as their Director of Professional Development where I help strategize and execute on delivering this to our members.

🏆 Recruiting Awards 🏆
I’m proud to be a recruiter and am proud of the impact I’ve been able to deliver in my career. Not only do I have the opportunity to give back through my expertise, I also want to be recognized for it. Let’s be honest, we all like a bit of attention. So I asked my network and those close to me, who were familiar with my work, to nominate and consider me for awards. I’m happy that I’ve been a recipient for a number of awards that recognize my work.

What this has taught me about myself is that before I never wanted to ask because I was scared of getting a “no”. But now, I’m more confident about asking because I’m thrilled at the thought of getting a “yes”.

Shoot your shot. Ask for what you want!