Tanya A. A. King, MBA, CPPM

I attribute my success to having good mentors around me and a strong support system. My family is my rock, and I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't had that support from them. Another key factor has been the opportunity to say yes to different opportunities or different things that come up. Just saying yes, even when things are challenging or scary, has opened doors I never expected and allowed me to grow in ways that have shaped my entire career.

One of the best career advice I've ever received is to dress for the position you want, not for the position you have. I heard that early on in my career, and that has stuck with me throughout. It has produced some really significant momentum within my career as a result of that advice. It's about being forward-thinking and positioning yourself for where you want to go, not just where you are.

I would say three things. First, say YES to opportunities. You never know where it will lead you, and you might be surprised by the outcome. Second, when you think of banking, don't just think of a brick and mortar where you go in to draw money or deposit money. Banking is so much more than that. There are so many different attributes and functions within Banking that if you are close-minded or thinking very narrowly about what banking is, you will essentially shut yourself out of opportunities. Have an open mind, ask clarifying questions about what functions people perform in the organization. If you are open-minded and willing to learn, you'll find that a myriad of opportunities may present themselves. Third, don't just take the word of one person in that space - especially if it's negative. One person's experience doesn't necessarily mean that will be your experience as well. I liken that to college, when you hear from someone that a class is the hardest they've ever taken or that the teacher is a hard grader, and you then developed anxiety going into that class. Your experience might be a very different one. Rather, take what you've heard as one data point, and walk into that experience with the intent of making the best of the situation - whatever it may be. But never allow somebody else's influence or experience to dictate how you embrace a situation or define your career journey.

There are 2 - AI and how it's being adopted across all areas of Banking. Some Banks are embracing the adoption of AI more quickly than others - introducing roles specifically to AI and ensuring their workforce is equipped with this skillset. This is the right approach! Those slower to adoption, will be at a huge disadvantage, especially if they don't have the right tools and resources within their organization. The second is the increase of Fraud - ACH & Wire fraud specifically. We're witnessing in real time how fraudsters are using AI to get more sophisticated with their scamming techniques and how Banks are working diligently to combat that.

This is going to sound very rudimentary, but humaning well. Being a good human, is something that I highly value. That's anywhere from being honest and transparent to doing what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it to stepping in to help those in need - whether it's extending your network to someone in the job market, or being a mentor to someone new to the industry or workforce or simply paying it forward if you benefited from someone's kindness. I've had many mentors over the years - both personally and professionally - and the best thank you I can offer to them is to pass on the key learnings they've offered me throughout my life and career.