Early Career advancement.. good or bad???

She joined Marketing Department of US IT major in Singapore after graduating from a university there.

It was 6 month contract position, and promise to confirm after a year subject to performance. The role was more or less marketing management for Asia Pacific region reporting to a Senior Director and vice president.

She given a mid level position, and also told that she is first ever fresh graduate been taken (that explain one year time frame give for confirmation).

Thanks Allah she surprised the team and bosses, with her performance, (she was commended for one of the best performer in marketing in APAC region) but due to GFC and M&A with another company, they were unable to offer her permanent position as promised.

Now suddenly she is given two offers, first was marketing manager of (South Asia Region), the position is actually based in Pakistan but need to take care few countries.

The position fell vacant due to migration of the manager, and she was covering that remotely from Singapore, now they asked her to take this position if she is interested (but need to move back to Pakistan no relocation benefit offered).

While she is considering this position, suddenly due to resignation of a senior marketing manager who was responsible of field marketing in Singapore, she is offered permanent position as well as responsibility of taking care of Field marketing in Singapore.

Naturally she is thrilled about this particular position, but equally concerned as one generally should have more then 10 years experience under his/her, belt and she is just 24 years old girl with two years experience.

Her performance for South Asia role is above the average, but to her it was good challenge but still much easy. While Singapore being mature market would be tough market to handle and her KPI would always benchmarked against other senior pros.

Her boss also told her that he understand, that she is not yet read for this role but have confidence that she could do it.

She is not sure, for 24 years old even becoming manager for South Asia region itself a big career jump, but since she is familiar with role found it is easy for here, but heading field marketing in Singapore is beyond her dream at this level. (anyway i sure they would give her role, but not the position of senior manager as HR would never approve this).

I would like to seek opinion, on what would be wise decision for her:-

To take easier option and official position Manager Marketing South Asia or Take difficult challenge for becoming effective(unofficially) head of field marketing Singapore (may be without designation also (due to be well beyond her capabilities) fairly risky.

What would be price of failure on this case?

The confidence shown to her by she superiors she could do the job despite her limited work experience.

What does that means for her chances of success on the role??

Re: Early Career advancement.. good or bad???

1) taking on a bigger role and even failing at it would in the long run be better for the career than taking a not so big role.

2) the bigger question is what does she want her career to be and which role prepares and positions her for what she wants to be/do. Within marketing field the diff areas are very different, so field marketing, marcomm, strategic marketing, marketing mgmt etc all have different scope and

Re: Early Career advancement.. good or bad???

I agree with X2 especially on point 2 because once you step into a discipline and get to a certain level it's difficult to move to another one.

If she fails people will see it as too big step too soon. So the next employer will be swayed by the potential she has shown for a company to offer such a big position.

However if she manages to pull it off they'll think what a superstar!!! I would give it a shot if it's what I really wanted to build my career in but both are very good job offers.

Re: Early Career advancement.. good or bad???

While I agree with X2 completely , I would like to draw your attention to a few other things as I have been through a very similar situation a few years ago:

1- I had taken a few big steps early on in my career ... some I succeeded in some I failed in ... The successes led to bigger opportunities , I would jump at them and take them. A few successes and failures later , I felt it deeply that I have made it up the ranks but the experience needed in handling some very tricky situations was missing in me which brought me close to major career disasters ... From then onwards I lessened the pace of going upwards and started working hard at building the substance / experience ..... and that experience is truely giving me wonders all through my professional life.

There is no shortcut to experience. The quicker you go up, the faster you will come down ... the real ability is to stay in the winning position and only and only experience can do that. One of my bosses once told me , when you have the substance to your career , then your learning abilities , your intelligence, your business acumen become the topping on the cake and help you achieve bigger and better things for longer term.

So advice for your daughter is to sit down and think what it is she is focusing on say 5 years down the road ... and then plan accordingly how she can accumulate the substance that will lead her to the career heights , rather then accumulate career height and look for substance in there ...hope that makes sense.