For almost fifteen years it’s been Malin Fagerlund´s dream to work in the United States. In 2016, she joined Oracle Sweden as a Solution Consultant. Can you take a guess where she is now? That’s right. Thanks to Oracle’s global network and world-class resources (and a lot of hard work on her part), Malin achieved her ambition and moved her career across the Atlantic to New York City.

From mapping customer journeys to mapping her own

Leading up to her move, Malin led two of Oracle’s innovation programs in the Nordic region.  Customer Experience—understanding our customers and how we best provide value for them— has always been her biggest interest.

“I’m very excited to bring my focus on design thinking and innovation to the US”, she begins enthusiastically. “We will continue to grow our innovation services there, share best practices across the continents, and bring our work to a wider audience. I look forward to being a part of that journey,” she continues. “Our aim is to unlock innovation opportunities for customers, which of course aligns very well with Oracle’s vision and strategy.”

Seeing things clearly

Now, getting to the question on everyone’s mind—how did Malin make her dream of moving to New York a reality? Here she opens up: “After almost a year of working at Oracle, it was like something just clicked. I experienced this aha-feeling one day and it all became very clear what I had to do,” she explains.

“Oracle is a huge global company, which means there are endless resources at your disposal if you have a valuable idea and the dedication to pursue it. So I started to really leverage our self-service culture, and the opportunities and freedom that come with it,” she recalls. “With a clear vision, strong discipline, and an understanding of how to best use your strengths, you can achieve anything you want at Oracle.”  

The power of communication

One of the first ways Malin put her plans into action was by simply being forthright about them. It wasn’t easy at first. “Telling other people about your dreams and vision for the future can be intimidating, because if you fail, everyone knows about it. But it has been a vital factor in me achieving my goals,” she states.

“Word spread that I wanted to move to New York and that I planned on working my way there. That opened he door to some really helpful conversations with people who were looking for the competencies I offered. So you should definitely take the leap and start talking about your dreams.”

It takes grit—and good people in your corner

That doesn’t mean it was always smooth sailing for Malin—and that’s where her determination played a big role in her success. “It hasn’t always been an easy journey. Up until the very last second, I was working tirelessly with a law firm in the US to get my visa. ”

Malin was also very lucky to have a pillar of strength to lean on throughout the whole process. “My manager has been incredible. She was key in my career development and helping me to build the right network,” Malin reveals. “I’ve always felt like she was on my side, which means everything when you’re trying to make a big change.”

Malin´s 6 top tips for achieving your career goals:

  1. Define what you want. Write down the things you want to do and prioritize your top 5. Don’t know your goals? Write down three things you are grateful for and look forward to every day for a month. This will give you insights.
  2. Map your long-term plan. Specify how and when you’ll achieve your identified goals. What small steps can you take every day to get 1% closer to your goal?
  3. Build a network and connect with inspiring people, both within Oracle and externally within your area of expertise. Tell them about your goal!
  4. Reflect – What worked? What didn’t? Make the ritual of reflection something you can commit to and look forward to, 10 minutes every Sunday may be enough.
  5. Make use of the flexible organisation that Oracle is and take advantage of the endless resources that already exist. Remember to leverage the benefits offered to have fun, learn and rest too (those things will actually help your career). 
  6. Test and evaluate. Pursue a goal for as long as it feels meaningful and change it when it doesn’t serve you anymore. If you’re not excited about your goal –it’s not the right one for you. You set career goals to have a fulfilling life, remind yourself of that as often as you need it.

Are you interested in joining a company where you can take control of your career and build the future of your dreams? Explore our career opportunities and start achieving your goals today.

Photo credit: Zana Sekiraca.