A Career Doesn’t Have to Be a Straight Line at Philips

Thinking and Breathing Innovation
 

As a Marketing Analyst for the Health Systems business in Philips Australia & New Zealand, I have the pleasure of contributing every day towards the cutting edge of healthcare innovation together with a company that is a thought-leader in the field! My job involves researching new and upcoming market trends in the industry as well as identifying opportunities for expansion to ensure that Philips remains a driver of innovation. Since joining the company seven years ago, I developed a clearer understanding of how healthcare affects every segment of our population. I also gained a deep appreciation for the solutions we provide. Health problems like cancer and heart disease still have significant impact on individuals every year worldwide, and actively participating in the improvement of healthy lives through Philips’ innovative medical technology has been truly rewarding.
 

The spirit of innovation paired with a genuine consideration of people’s lives goes even beyond the healthcare solutions we provide – I find it is also reflected in the unique career paths made possible with this company.  Philips does not only deeply care about its customers but also about its own employees. When I initially joined, I had a more focused career path in mind within Supply Chain Management. However, my motivational colleagues and diverse team efforts along the way inspired me to delve deeper into new areas that stimulated my interest. The support I received in designing my own career exemplifies the forward-thinking and people-focused culture of Philips.
 

Designing Your Path
 

I have been in five different roles, from Customer Support Logistics Admin, to Supply Chain Analyst, to Business Analyst, to Contracts Admin Team Leader and finally to my current position in marketing. One of my favorite aspects of marketing is being able to deal with broadly different topics. In my journey within Philips, I got a lot out of keeping an open mind and soaking in as much information as possible to add the most value to my career and the company in return.
 

What has further enabled me in my career pursuits is that my managers have never been too restrictive in how I carry out my responsibilities. Thus I always felt empowered to strive for new milestones and charge into unchartered territories.  Whenever I discussed my career prospects with my managers, it was always a two-way conversation. One of my previous mentors often said that a career does not have to be a straight line and I feel this rings especially true for my path at Philips.
 

Colleagues that Inspire You
 

Since I joined Philips in 2009 there has never been a dull moment, not only because of Philips’ exciting positioning as a change-maker in healthcare but also largely due to my colleagues. Their passion for what they do never ceases to be a source of inspiration for me on my career pursuits.
 

When I was active as a Supply Chain Analyst, I witnessed firsthand how our engineers go above and beyond to help with our customers and ultimately their patients. They indirectly improve the Philips customer experience by making processes more practical and efficient. To give a concrete example, when Blueprint, an automated supply chain system that speeds up the process of parts returns and ordering, was not introduced in the Australian market, one of our engineers came up with a simple fix using Microsoft Excel in the interim. This meant parts arrived faster, and machines were fixed more quickly for our customers! The drive to go the extra mile in order to be on top of and reach beyond the standards of innovation, really makes up the essence of our company spirit.
 

Teaming Up to Excel
 

I have greatly enjoyed taking on this relatively new role of Marketing Analyst for almost eight months now. There is no mundane routine and no two days are ever the same! The products I deal with in Health Systems are extremely complex and require specialized knowledge. For example, right now I am carrying out market analyses of the ultrasound and oncology sectors despite not having clinical knowledge and background in these areas. Therefore, in order to carry out my role effectively, I have to resource the input of specialists in the specific areas to ensure that the projects take into account the most advanced field knowledge.
 

The cross-functional aspect of my role certainly makes my work more challenging but the amazing team spirit of everyone I engage with has made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience so far. Beyond the scope of my current role, I find that our capacity to innovate as a company is also the result of eagerness amongst employees to help one another with our individual expertise. The common drive to achieve a set goal by leveraging off each other’s strengths in team efforts has also contributed to making my time as part of the Philips family so enjoyable.
 

In essence, at Philips we are able to come up with new and groundbreaking solutions for improved healthcare by taking a step back, pulling together our diverse backgrounds and expertise, and tackling problems from various perspectives. I am certain that anyone with a natural curiosity, a problem-solving mindset and a solid team morale would do well in starting an exciting and perhaps as in my case, unconventional career with Philips!