Episode 5: Leveling Up in Your Career with Zachery Jones Esq.
Guest Spotlight
Zachery Jones is Vice President of Labor Relations for United Airlines. In this role, Zachery is responsible for development and implementation of the labor strategy, negotiation and administration of all labor agreements governing United’s represented employees, including the coordination of international bargaining.
Zachery has more than 30 years of experience in leading labor organizations. Prior to joining United, he served as vice president of labor relations at CSX. In that role, he led labor strategy and was chief labor spokesperson for the company in a multi-employer, multi-union collective bargaining negotiation covering 13 unions and approximately 150,000 employees nationally, as well as serving as a trustee of a $2.5 billion healthcare fund. Prior to joining CSX, Zachery worked as a senior mediator at the National Mediation Board.
Zachery received a bachelor’s degree from Howard University, a juris doctorate from University of Minnesota and an MBA from Loyola University of Chicago.
Questions Zachery Addresses in this Episode
Walk us briefly through your career path.
What’s the best career advice you have ever been given?
Since we first met, I was struck by the way you have leveled up throughout your career and earned several promotions with your past employers including CSX and the National Mediation Board. What would you say are the main factors that have helped you secure promotions?
How far ahead do you set your career goals? Are you someone who has a 5-year plan or do you live more in the here and now?
Were all of these promotions the results of a long-term plan or could some of it be attributed to being in the right place at the right time?
For people at the mid-career level who are feeling stagnant in their current roles and companies, what steps can they take now to break out of the rut and accelerate their careers?
What about young professionals launching their careers with aspirations of executive leadership roles? What can they do now to position themselves for continual growth and professional success?
I often consult with clients deciding whether they can accelerate their careers more quickly by switching companies rather than staying with the same employer. What are your thoughts about internal promotions vs switching companies or even industries?
Throughout your career, you have been involved in succession planning at various points. What goes into succession planning from the corporate perspective and how can understanding that help employees learn to better market the value they can deliver?
Securing the promotion is just one piece of the puzzle. Now the person is thrown into a whole new role that may be vastly different from the one they just had. For example, managing people versus working as an individual contributor and navigating a new world of office politics and administrative responsibilities.
What can a newly promoted employee do to set themselves up for success?
Once promoted, you are often the one people come to for answers. What happens if you don’t know the solution to their problem?
If your company does not provide extensive training for the new role, where can a person find additional resources for training on their own?
Especially for internal promotions, it can be socially tricky for people who were once part of the team to make the leap to managing their peers, many of whom may be their friends. Any tips for navigating this territory?
What tips do you recommend for managing the stress that comes with leveling up and how have you avoided burnout?
Any final pieces of advice for how people can formulate a strategy for their continued career growth?
Mentioned In Today’s Episode
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