unboxing your career
Careers aren't about ladder climbing. They are a personal journey, where you find your energy by developing new skills and discover how to make your job a meaningful part of your life. Meaningful careers have to grow freely and can’t be put in a box.
YOUR PERsonal JOURNEY
Every career is a personal journey. Take the opportunities that really matter to you, that will further develop your personal skills, that will empower you to be a be a better version of yourself. A meaningful career grows freely and can’t be put in a box.
We asked our employees what they can share from their personal career journey. We received many insights, experiences and tips on how to manage private and working life. What is your current career question? Have a look at the different sections and hopefully it can inspire and support your personal journey. Open the box and be anything you want to be.
...and your inner Strength...
To think, behave, take action and make decisions on your own is not easy. Your environment can become a big support to foster your ability and desire to make an impact in your career. Nina has been surrounded by people she could learn from and that believed in her, be they bosses, mentors, colleagues, friends, or family. Her passion for getting to the bottom of things; and her willingness to accept new challenges did the rest.
"Take every opportunity you get to learn something new. Even if you do not see how a particular task or position is taking you towards the vision you have for yourself in the long term, take every opportunity you are offered that helps you broaden your experience. Look for moves that challenge you and that enable you to work for people you can learn from"
...Drive your passion...
"Let your passion drive your creativity". That was the mantra of Charles when, at a very young age, he recognized his passion for design and problem-solving. A life of athleticism meant Charles was prepared to create solutions for the real-world problems professional athletes face. His design skills combined with his experience made him a natural. His constant drive to improve performance quickly led him to innovation. Working for several global sports companies and partnering with people who helped to shape the industry gave him the opportunity to grow into a strategic thinker. Now he uses design to shape the future.
"The job I have at PUMA is one that I have always wanted; one that provides the opportunity to be highly creative, to solve complex problems and to contribute in a meaningful way to the success of a brand."
...And believe in the potential of tomorrow...
When Ken Kralick wasn’t outside skiing, biking, doing motorsports and fishing, he was indoors with his computers building a career of websites and eCommerce. Today, as Global Director of eCommerce, Ken combines his passion for the latest technologies with the satisfaction that comes from training teams for success. He recognizes a team’s ability today and the potential for what they can achieve tomorrow. Tools, resources and knowledge make these teams fast and effective on the whole but by helping the individual team members to develop and grow, Ken is empowering the leaders of tomorrow.
How do you seek inspiration on a daily basis?
"Growing up in an international school, I have naturally learned to appreciate and embrace diversity in all its forms. PUMA in a lot of ways shares the same philosophy and open environment. Embracing everyone’s different background and experiences, combined with emotional intelligence to understand how each individual works is the best way to allow people to express their full potential and accomplish great things as a team"
...AND FAMILY...
Bowie is driven by challenges and brings people together with her energetic and fun approach. Whether troubleshooting, building up new processes or balancing family life, you can rely on Bowie to deliver. So we asked Bowie: How do you balance career and parenthood?
...finding your way...
Is there a secret to work-life balance? We asked Stefano, from Italy, passionate about football and his family, about his tips for good work-life balance. Check it out!
"My job is my life. When you spend 70% of your day at work, I believe that’s your life so it’s important to work in an exciting environment, with great people and great flexibility which allows you to balance work and life time. It’s good to have something else to do after, to help you change perspectives and leave your mind open."
...AND coping with pressure...
Moritz started his career with PUMA, first as a dual student and now as Junior Project Manager. He works on several IT projects on a global scale. Being the link to several internal and external business partners, he aims to have a clear focus in his daily work.
As he is able to manage different stakeholders and projects at once, we asked Moritz how he copes with pressure in his daily work. Tune in to know more.
IS WORK-LIFE BALANCE POSSIBLE?
"You really need to want it. So you need to work towards it. I like to work hard and to work a lot so I need to discipline myself to achieve a healthy balance. The other thing is to have an employer who is supporting and promoting it. Here in our office we have super flexible working hours and most important for me, I can work from home. I can combine both, spending time with my little son as well as taking care of my work and ensuring that I don’t miss out on anything."
A journey where you work and learn from others
Mastering teamwork can set the groundwork to be highly productive in your job. But it can also become one of the main drivers to build your career. Zee knows that by learning from your teammates, you can improve your personal performance. That's why, for him, sport and career have so much in common. His biggest learning so far? Don't stop moving, be proactive to keep developing your career.
"Being proactive has helped me to develop my career. I am always asking and eager to learn new things. Don’t be afraid to ask for the support from your team. This way, it’s helping me to find myself and understand on what I’m good at and what needs to be develop"
...By changing your path...
Robert-Jan is half Dutch, half Austrian and has a way with languages and words. For a decade, he worked as a breaking news journalist for some of the world’s largest media organizations in Brussels, London and elsewhere. As Senior Manager Corporate Communications and PR at PUMA, he tells the many exciting stories the company has to offer.
Have a look and get Robert-Jans insights about challenges in changing careers.
...OR field of work...
Developing your career is also about finding new paths to explore what you are passionate about. Get to know Nancy's best decision for her career development.
"Outside of work, I’m truly passionate about sports- I’m a runner at heart and have completed numerous marathons, with the Boston Marathon as the most recent. I’m also a triathlete and am currently training for my first half Ironman. PUMA is the perfect place for me to combine my skills and passion for sports."
how do you plan a fulfilling career?
"It’s very important that you communicate clearly your career aspirations. Make sure that not only your line manager is aware of those ambitions, but also that people around you who can help developing your career are aware of your goals. Don’t think in departmental silos, but be open to communicate your ambitions wider in the company. If people don’t know what you want, they can’t make it possible."
DON'T GET STUCK...
"There are topics in your career that are not always easy to tackle but sports such as football, fitness or capoeira allow us to develop ourselves as athletes, but most importantly as human beings. I can find the same links with people at work, where we can share experiences and overcome challenges as a team"
Being inspired by this, we asked Yannick about his greatest learning so far. In this video, he shares one of the challenges he overcame.
"Don’t stay stuck in a box where people can be tempted to put you in. If you are convinced you have several skills or talents, you should go for it.
Prepare a plan, shape up those qualities, be curious and get ready for the change. It will be a tremendous energy for you and for the company!"
OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKE YOU GROW
"Facing challenges has helped me to grow into my potential. Over the past years, I have learned to trust myself, and I know there is always a way to overcome hurdles. Having a great team to rely on makes everything easier too.
Being authentic and introducing my own individual energy to things is important to me. But I also realized the value of finding a balance between work and play."
what was your biggest challenge to date?
"The biggest challenge I have faced is moving my wife and two daughters from the United States to Europe. We left our family and community behind to pursue new, international opportunities with PUMA. It is difficult and sometimes scary to be a foreigner in the new place you call home. Every day I had two goals: try not to get arrested and find the reason or beauty in things that are different. It did not take long to make new friends. Our third baby was born in Germany, which was intimidating when you don’t speak the same language as the hospital staff. Our comfort zone expanded with every passing week and new place we visited. We miss seeing people we love and familiar places but everyone agrees this was a great decision. What I didn’t realize was how much of the world I was missing and how exploring it and meeting people from different cultures would change me. This crazy international move has turned out to be the best thing for my career and our family."
Read MoreI like to work with challenges and getting outside my comfort zone. In my experience, that’s one of the best ways to develop and learn.
Pia Madison, Head of Employer Branding and HR Communications