Q&A with Industry Veteran Jay Gennaro: How to Position Yourself for Career Growth
We sat down with industry veteran Jay Gennaro, who has coached thousands of candidates, to talk about what it really takes to be successful in your career.
Q: What are the biggest factors that determine whether someone advances in their career?
Jay: The biggest factor is trust. People often hear the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” when job searching, but when it comes to career success, leaders are really asking themselves whether they can trust you. Can they trust you to deliver results? Can they trust you to help them achieve their goals? Can they trust you to stay steady and effective when things get difficult? If the answer is yes, you put yourself in a much stronger position to be considered for bigger opportunities.
Q: How does someone build that trust with leadership?
Jay: It comes down to exposure, performance, and time. Leadership needs to see how you operate, how you solve problems, and how consistently you follow through. You have to be proactive and intentional about putting yourself in situations where decision makers can see your value. Before taking on a new role or project, ask yourself whether it will give you meaningful exposure to the people who influence your next opportunity.
Q: How can someone be intentional about getting the right kind of exposure?
Jay: Volunteer for cross-functional projects, identify ways to improve processes, contribute constructive ideas in meetings, and offer help when there is a challenges. You do not have to be the loudest person in the room, but you do have to be willing to step up. People who get promoted look for ways to create additional value, discuss their long-term goals, and ask their leaders what they need to demonstrate to move to the next level.
Q: What’s the most important thing that drives career success?
Jay: Successful candidates approach their careers with an end goal in mind. They make choices that help them build the skills, experience, and credentials to reach that goal, whether through new responsibilities, projects, or relationships.
Look at leaders who have already accomplished what you want to achieve. What roles did they take? What experiences did they build? What credentials or relationships helped them? You can learn a lot by studying the path of someone who has reached the level you are working toward.
Q: When should someone consider making a job change?
Jay: People often only think about changing jobs when they have already decided they are ready to leave, but that can limit your options. The best opportunity to accelerate your career might appear when you are not actively looking; stay open-minded about strategic opportunities. You do not need to be constantly job hunting, but you should understand the market and be willing to evaluate roles that could meaningfully improve your career trajectory.
Q: What final advice would you give someone who wants to advance?
Jay: Career growth rarely happens by accident; it happens when preparation, credibility, and opportunity come together. Be intentional, be proactive, build trust, look for ways to create value beyond your job description, know where you want to go, and make decisions that support that goal.
Q: What are the biggest factors that determine whether someone advances in their career?
Jay: The biggest factor is trust. People often hear the phrase, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” when job searching, but when it comes to career success, leaders are really asking themselves whether they can trust you. Can they trust you to deliver results? Can they trust you to help them achieve their goals? Can they trust you to stay steady and effective when things get difficult? If the answer is yes, you put yourself in a much stronger position to be considered for bigger opportunities.
Q: How does someone build that trust with leadership?
Jay: It comes down to exposure, performance, and time. Leadership needs to see how you operate, how you solve problems, and how consistently you follow through. You have to be proactive and intentional about putting yourself in situations where decision makers can see your value. Before taking on a new role or project, ask yourself whether it will give you meaningful exposure to the people who influence your next opportunity.
Q: How can someone be intentional about getting the right kind of exposure?
Jay: Volunteer for cross-functional projects, identify ways to improve processes, contribute constructive ideas in meetings, and offer help when there is a challenges. You do not have to be the loudest person in the room, but you do have to be willing to step up. People who get promoted look for ways to create additional value, discuss their long-term goals, and ask their leaders what they need to demonstrate to move to the next level.
Q: What’s the most important thing that drives career success?
Jay: Successful candidates approach their careers with an end goal in mind. They make choices that help them build the skills, experience, and credentials to reach that goal, whether through new responsibilities, projects, or relationships.
Look at leaders who have already accomplished what you want to achieve. What roles did they take? What experiences did they build? What credentials or relationships helped them? You can learn a lot by studying the path of someone who has reached the level you are working toward.
Q: When should someone consider making a job change?
Jay: People often only think about changing jobs when they have already decided they are ready to leave, but that can limit your options. The best opportunity to accelerate your career might appear when you are not actively looking; stay open-minded about strategic opportunities. You do not need to be constantly job hunting, but you should understand the market and be willing to evaluate roles that could meaningfully improve your career trajectory.
Q: What final advice would you give someone who wants to advance?
Jay: Career growth rarely happens by accident; it happens when preparation, credibility, and opportunity come together. Be intentional, be proactive, build trust, look for ways to create value beyond your job description, know where you want to go, and make decisions that support that goal.
Andrews & Cole is a certified woman-owned boutique executive search and consulting firm with a focus on accounting and finance professionals. Clients range from start ups to Fortune 100 in nearly every industry.
