I recently wrote about how I think the early years in someone’s career should be focused on learning skills rather than short-term rewards.

There’s a further distinction that I’d like to make.

Learning a transferable skill is valuable (that’s partly why I’m in a business development role now). But the extraordinary value comes when that skill becomes one asset of many, rather than the main show.

A background in sales can turn into a great sales career. But I’m even more excited by the tangential opportunities:

• A chief engineer who knows how to sell ideas
• A business owner who knows how to move product
• A politician who can win people over
• A program manager who can convince people to take action
• An entrepreneur who knows how to negotiate contracts
• A non-profit worker who can find valuable partners
• …

-Brandon