Let me tell you about the night that changed my career trajectory back in ’77. You know how people say networking is important? Well, this story really brings that home.
Picture a young HR professional (that was me!) at a Perry Park IPMA monthly event. I was fresh-faced and probably a bit naive, but something magical happened that evening that would shape my entire professional future.
Over what was a couple of beers, I met Roly Livingstone, a gentleman who’d previously worked at the Public Service Board. Now, Roly was one of those people who just loved connecting others – a natural networker before we even used that term. He took one look at my enthusiasm for industrial relations and said, “You need to meet Ted Love.”
Ted was the Head of IR at the Public Service Board, and while he didn’t have any vacancies in his team, he did something that exemplifies true leadership – he made more introductions. Soon I was chatting with Leo Pitt and Ken Shea, and before I knew it, I was going through what felt like the most comprehensive assessment centre process known to mankind!
Looking back now, it makes me chuckle. Here I was, just three months into my role at Education, thinking I was settled in for the long haul. But that one evening, those few conversations, and those handshakes led me to the Public Service Board and set me on an entirely new path.
You know what’s funny? Today we might connect on LinkedIn or through a Zoom meeting, but there was something special about those face-to-face connections back then. It taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten: sometimes the most important career moves happen not through formal applications, but through a simple conversation and someone willing to open a door for you.
Three months later, I was saying goodbye to Education and hello to the Public Service Board. All because I decided to attend that one event at Perry Park.
