From risk to reward: Shaping your own career path

I’ve been asked more than once if I’d always wanted to work in IT. The truth is, I didn’t. My career hasn’t been linear—each role has taken me to a new function or region. It’s developed over time, shaped by people, circumstances, and opportunities. And while some events may have seemed accidental, after 10 roles in 15 years at Philip Morris International (PMI), I now see what’s behind these opportunities.

Starting my journey at PMI

I joined PMI in 2011 as a territory sales executive in St. Petersburg. The job involved visiting points of sale, working with store owners and assistants, supporting marketing activities, and driving retail sales.

It was nothing like my previous job as a business analyst, and from day one it was a leap out of my comfort zone. But the chance to work for an international company—along with good career opportunities—led me to take on the challenge and develop the skills to succeed in the role.

Be proactive to get noticed

My next move wasn’t planned and perhaps doesn’t fit into a “typical” sales path. This is because I might not have been the best sales executive, but I had other strengths, which I started to leverage. With experience in sales analysis, I began building reports, consolidating data, and sharing potential improvements at team and affiliate levels. No one had asked for this; I simply saw opportunities and acted, and this proactive approach got my work noticed. When a position in the regional analytical department opened, I was encouraged to apply.

That shift moved me away from the traditional sales development trajectory, which some saw as risky, but for me it felt right because it aligned with my strengths and mindset.

Make change your comfort zone

In 2014, I took one of the hardest decisions in my career and relocated to Rostov-on-Don, 1,800 kilometers from home. I’d lived in St. Petersburg all my life and had never imagined leaving. The first move outside your comfort zone is always the hardest.

Moving to a new region exposed me to a different environment, culture, and ways of working. Even within the same company and country, I realized that perspectives can vary, and I learned the importance of listening, understanding, and adapting.

Turn your passion into your job

Around that time, project management became a personal passion. It started as a hobby—reading and learning in my free time, but also seizing every opportunity to apply these new skills at work, driving small initiatives alongside my main responsibilities.

Eventually, this led to a major opportunity: I was invited to lead a national project in Moscow, implementing a new information system for more than 2,000 sales employees. I wasn’t just supporting projects anymore—I was leading one. It confirmed to me that project management was the direction I wanted to pursue.

It also reinforced a key lesson: Experience is never wasted. Sales, analytics, and business insights all became valuable assets that helped me to succeed and move forward.

Learning fast is not optional

In November 2016, during an assignment in Switzerland, I was assigned to lead a complex merger and acquisition project—an area in which I had zero experience.

I was overwhelmed by terminology, financial models, valuations, and legal frameworks. But I threw myself into learning: Studying intensely, asking questions, and leveraging experts’ support. Within weeks, I was able to take full ownership and eventually led a successful deal over the next 10 months.

It taught me that success depends less on what you know on day one and more on how quickly you’re willing to learn on day two.

Stepping back to move forward can be wise

After Switzerland, I returned to St. Petersburg as a sales supervisor—a move many felt was a step backward.

It wasn’t.

While running various projects, I lacked one critical skill: Managing direct reports, and I knew this gap would limit my future growth. I accepted the role, again stepping out of my comfort zone. 

That assignment gave me essential leadership experience and prepared me for larger managerial roles later on. Sometimes a small step back provides the momentum needed to move forward faster.

Looking ahead 

Eventually my career brought me to Poland, where I joined PMI’s global IT organization.

A conversation with a colleague, who had relocated earlier using PMI’s careers portal, made me realize that opportunities were always available. I just wasn’t looking closely enough.

I then applied for a project management role in Poland, allowing myself to discover a new path in a completely new IT area. 

Over the past five years in PMI IT, I’ve moved from projects into program leadership roles, and now into my current position as Head of the Service Management Office. But even today, leading a global team supporting our critical IT services, I know my journey is far from over. And if my story has shown anything, it’s that progress begins the moment you decide to shape your own future.