Stepping Back to Move Forward: A Non-Linear Career Path at Salesforce

In the world of corporate careers, success is often thought of as linear; but that's not always the case. Careers can take twists and turns and come in different shapes and sizes — resembling a mosaic. Just ask Carolyn Bathauer.

In her previous role as a Salesforce VP of Product Enablement, Carolyn recently pivoted to become a Senior Director of Cross-Cloud Evangelism — communicating the value of our products and how they help our customers serve theirs. Some might consider this title change to be stepping down — or see a step backward. But for Carolyn, it was a huge win.

Keep reading to learn how taking a step back has led Carolyn to a career that reignited her passion and energy.

The Path to Salesforce

Carolyn began her career where you wouldn't expect to find a Salesforce product expert: politics. "I realized it wasn't what I wanted to do long-term. It took a toll on my well-being, so I made a change. This was before prioritizing mental health was popular, so it was hard to explain why I was leaving that career."

Once she realized that the political environment was not a good fit for her mental health, Carolyn decided to move into tech, where her career as an Account Executive (AE) took off. She climbed the corporate ladder, building high-performing teams, launching new products, and making a name for herself. Until she experienced her first layoff.

"While I was searching for my next role, I hustled. I went to school, became a licensed manicurist, worked as a makeup artist, and networked — searching for my next opportunity. That’s when I found Salesforce."

Building a Career Mosaic at Salesforce

Carolyn's 12+ years at Salesforce have been nothing short of remarkable. Starting as an Account Executive, she rose to Vice President of Product Enablement, leading teams and making a huge impact on the business. However, one of her most impactful experiences was taking on a stretch project as a “Dreamforce Color Commentator” nearly four years ago, a role she initially approached with trepidation but quickly grew to love.

However, that short-term project ended, and as a VP, Carolyn found herself unfulfilled. "I thrive when I’m challenged and doing impactful work," she explains. "My team was doing amazing work, but there wasn’t an opportunity for me to take on a new problem to solve. So, I knew it was time for a new challenge."

Reflecting on what that challenge could be, Carolyn thought of her work at Dreamforce. Her stretch project had become her passion, encompassing broadcasting and customer engagement. Eager to make it her full-time job, she approached her leader, willing to trade her title for personal growth and impactful work.

"I identified a gap in the business and positioned how I could be the one to solve that problem while meeting business needs," Carolyn says. After successfully pitching her role, she began her new journey as Senior Director of Cross-Cloud Evangelism.

"The more I do in my new role, the more I see the validation that I had been searching for," she shares. "It's a visible role, and I have creative control. My brain gets a workout every day, and I love that about my role."

The Importance of Non-Linear Career Paths

Carolyn emphasizes the importance of non-linear career paths to everyone she comes in contact with — but it's not just about the next move, it's about identifying what is best for your personal growth and goals.

"Specific steps and next roles are still the way for some, and that’s okay! I value challenge and meaningful work to keep me motivated, and new experiences are the catalyst to that challenge.

I look at my career at Salesforce like a 'rotational management program' — you build a reputation centered on hard work, intelligence, and authenticity, and people are more open to giving you opportunities to stretch and grow!"

She offers her advice to those looking to build a successful, non-traditional career path:

1. Build a Brag Book: Document your process, results, successes, and failures, and translate them into transferable skills.
2. Surround Yourself with People Who Push You: Seek out mentors and colleagues who challenge you to grow.
3. Learn Who You Are and What You Value: Understanding your values will guide your career decisions.
4. Document Transferrable Skill Sets: Document your skill sets so you can easily identify new careers to dive into.
5. Lift Others: As Carolyn says, "If you find a champion it changes the game, if you champion other people it changes you."

"No other organization I've ever been a part of has been so accommodating to trying to problem solve from within." Carolyn shares. "You can look at things that are broken, suggest a business plan, and take that on. You can evaluate the needs of the business with what you currently care about and combine the two things to make it happen."

Interested in building a career mosaic at Salesforce? Join our Talent Community to get exclusive event invitations, career tips, open role alerts, and more delivered directly to your inbox.