Gabriel Mizrahi

Dear Jordan and Gabe, I work for a large international company. My background is in operations and HR, but I was recently asked to lead a small team within the marketing department that handled non-employee contracts. I told the leader that I didn't have experience with contract or vendor management, although I did understand the nuance of contractors from an HR perspective.

I was told that the team was from a procurement background and would handle that side of the work, and my role was more around team management and helping the department change its strategy around contractor usage. I took the job and was successful at working with the team to make changes to the contractor program. Then my company was hit with a large layoff and restructuring.

I was told that the team was from a procurement background and would handle that side of the work, and my role was more around team management and helping the department change its strategy around contractor usage. I took the job and was successful at working with the team to make changes to the contractor program. Then my company was hit with a large layoff and restructuring.

I was told that the team was from a procurement background and would handle that side of the work, and my role was more around team management and helping the department change its strategy around contractor usage. I took the job and was successful at working with the team to make changes to the contractor program. Then my company was hit with a large layoff and restructuring.

Because of the smaller team size, I now directly manage contracts and vendor relationships. I'm also expected to do work similar to the other procurement managers, such as creating negotiation and cost-saving strategies, whereas before, I focused on organizational change and reducing legal risk. I feel so out of my depth.

Because of the smaller team size, I now directly manage contracts and vendor relationships. I'm also expected to do work similar to the other procurement managers, such as creating negotiation and cost-saving strategies, whereas before, I focused on organizational change and reducing legal risk. I feel so out of my depth.

Because of the smaller team size, I now directly manage contracts and vendor relationships. I'm also expected to do work similar to the other procurement managers, such as creating negotiation and cost-saving strategies, whereas before, I focused on organizational change and reducing legal risk. I feel so out of my depth.

Procurement is a very different profession with its own lingo, skillset, and perspective. I'm trying to learn, but my workload has massively increased, and I'm struggling to keep up. It feels like I'm trying to acquire a whole career's worth of knowledge and experience.

Procurement is a very different profession with its own lingo, skillset, and perspective. I'm trying to learn, but my workload has massively increased, and I'm struggling to keep up. It feels like I'm trying to acquire a whole career's worth of knowledge and experience.

Procurement is a very different profession with its own lingo, skillset, and perspective. I'm trying to learn, but my workload has massively increased, and I'm struggling to keep up. It feels like I'm trying to acquire a whole career's worth of knowledge and experience.

I'm also worried about asking too many questions and potentially getting fired, though I fear that might happen anyway if I can't achieve the things that this department wants. I've put out feelers with my network for a new job, but my husband is currently unemployed, so it feels important to try to make this job work, at least until he's stable again.

I'm also worried about asking too many questions and potentially getting fired, though I fear that might happen anyway if I can't achieve the things that this department wants. I've put out feelers with my network for a new job, but my husband is currently unemployed, so it feels important to try to make this job work, at least until he's stable again.

I'm also worried about asking too many questions and potentially getting fired, though I fear that might happen anyway if I can't achieve the things that this department wants. I've put out feelers with my network for a new job, but my husband is currently unemployed, so it feels important to try to make this job work, at least until he's stable again.

What should I do to make this new role manageable? What would you do if you found yourself as a genuine imposter? Signed, avoiding missteps and protecting my respect when I am totally out of my depth.

What should I do to make this new role manageable? What would you do if you found yourself as a genuine imposter? Signed, avoiding missteps and protecting my respect when I am totally out of my depth.

What should I do to make this new role manageable? What would you do if you found yourself as a genuine imposter? Signed, avoiding missteps and protecting my respect when I am totally out of my depth.

No, it was very impressive. You fooled me for a second. I was like, did you work in procurement when you were in Wall Street?

No, it was very impressive. You fooled me for a second. I was like, did you work in procurement when you were in Wall Street?

No, it was very impressive. You fooled me for a second. I was like, did you work in procurement when you were in Wall Street?

You know, when I worked in consulting, this was one of the main skills that I had to learn more than Excel, more than PowerPoint, more than, you know, how to talk in a meeting and all that, just how to learn quickly and make it look mostly effortless and not require more than is necessary from other people. It is such a great skill to develop.