Community Spotlight: Embracing Change

By: Carleen Sanchez / April 27, 2020

Community Spotlight: A new series highlighting Aspire to Her community members and their experiences early in their careers.

Who we’re featuring this week: Carleen Sanchez
Position: Senior Pricing & Strategy Analyst at Change Healthcare

You were in a development rotational program where you explored a variety of practices, teams, and locations. Can you share more details on this experience and how you've continued to embrace change throughout your career?

After college, I joined a two-year rotational program at a healthcare IT company. I worked in operations, finance, IT, user experience, and product management. Every rotation brought a new manager and team with new priorities, practices, and responsibilities. This could be challenging at times, but it taught me how to view and utilize change as a developmental opportunity. I had the chance to acquire new skills, support separate corporate initiatives, and connect with team members across the country. Most importantly, I gained the ability to effectively leverage and apply my past learnings and experiences so I could quickly adapt and add value. During the program, I realized I wasn’t always starting over and that my various and diverse professional experiences built upon one another. As I’ve continued throughout my career, the inevitability and unpredictability of change is only reinforced. Identifying and understanding these benefits and opportunities has allowed me to embrace change.

What's your advice for anyone who has recently experienced a change in their career path?

My advice to anyone experiencing a change in their career path is to be confident in yourself and your work. Frequently, I was the newest and least experienced individual in the room, while also feeling pressure to make significant contributions to the team within a short period of time. Change may mean you are working on something completely new or different. However, it can still mean you are providing the best solution and driving success. I encourage you to speak up and share your ideas, the right answer may come from the fresh perspective you are able to bring.

I also recommend being open to the possibility that an unexpected change may bring something better. I had never been to the west coast before I was placed in California for my last six months of the program. Here we are a year and a half later, I am still calling San Francisco home. You never know!

If you’re interested in sharing a career experience/lessons learned with other Aspire to Her community members, please fill out this quick form!