When Grace Chiu told me about the Run with Purpose Challenge, I thought why not? I’ve never written a blog before and there is nothing more rewarding than being presented a challenge and facing it head on.
Who am I?
My name is Carman Zhou and I’m from Toronto, Ontario, so yes that means that I get to experience temperatures that are -30 C with wind chill in the winter and +40 C with humidity in the summer. I’m a part of the HRBP team in Canada working in the Toronto office. My team is pretty virtual (Hey team!) but luckily, Telepresence gives us the opportunity to connect with each other. I studied HR at the University of Toronto but started at SAP working in the Industry and Solution Engineering team. When the HR internship came up in Toronto, I couldn’t help but be interested in it. Fast forward a couple months and here I am. Working alongside some of the most talented HR people I know and connecting with the HR community beyond the HRBP team in Canada.
My run with purpose story
I really liked the idea of the challenge of looking at something I did in the past and finding out how it helped me realize my passions. People used to ask me why I chose HR as a career, and my answer to them was always “I’m not quite sure, I guess I’m in Business and it’s available as a major”. Growing up, I was always good with numbers and I loved solving complex math questions. There was just something gratifying about being able to figure out the answers. So logically, everyone assumed I would have turned to Finance or Accounting, and when my friends found out I was streaming in HR, they were confused.
I once worked in a sales role; I had a quota that I managed and was constantly on the phone. During that time, I lived for Fridays and dreaded Mondays. There was nothing worse than waking up and going into work. I knew I had to make a change and steer my career in a better path. I had a background working in IT and was interested in learning more because of the constant growth and change in the IT world. SAP gave me this opportunity to learn and explore my passions.
Working in HR at SAP, that’s when I realized that, you can love your work. It’s actually possible to wake up and want to be at the office and see your colleagues. I realized that there was a reason why I chose HR as career. I love working with people, helping them, and building strong relationships. I learned that Sales is not something I am passionate about and thanks to working in the sales role, I now know what I enjoy and can pursue a career in something I am passionate about.
There are a tremendous number of opportunities out there, each of which takes you to a different path and allows you to learn more about yourself. I am thankful for my learning experiences and the opportunity at SAP to find out what makes me run with purpose in my work life.
Join in on the challenge
To get this challenge started, I am inviting you to join in on the conversation. If you are interested in sharing your stories, please post a blog in the Career Center space here on SCN with “Run with Purpose Challenge” in your blog title and respond back to one of the questions below:
- My purpose in my work is definitely not ___. I tried ___ out and after this experience I realized it really wasn't for me, but ___ is. (Give an example of something you tried that may not have worked out, or has helped redirect you to work that has been more enjoyable and rewarding for you.)
- What inspires you the most about your work right now?
- How do your passions contribute to your work?
- How does having purpose/passions in your work allowed for career success or advancement?
- How do you think your work create a positive impact for other people or the world?
- What does it mean to run with purpose and how does it relate to the work you do?
Share a fun fact and photo of yourself along with your blog post, or a photo of your office or country if you’re camera-shy!
Don't forget to invite a friend or colleague to join in on the conversation!
Enjoy and have fun!
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