Jeremy Duncan
Hello friends.
This is an article that I have been looking especially forward to writing.
When I first set the cast for my article series, Jeremy was clearly a candidate.
Many could have been great interviewees, though the genuine spirit of Jeremy leaked through and sparked my curiosity.
Read the below and/or see an in-depth interview with @Jeremy Duncan right here:
Be Kind
Caring is Jeremy's super power, and it really does propel him. An important lesson to bear in mind when starting a career or wanting to improve upon it. People will forget what you did, though, they will remember how you made them feel.
To emphasize the point of Jeremy having an exceptional character, I reached out to his colleagues, manager, and one of his mentees. Based on their many statements, I have created a piece of advice for you all based on his example: be kind.
I have had the honor and privilege of working alongside Jeremy for the last 3 years and I am extremely thankful that our journeys have crossed.
Jeremy is what I call a firestarter- he is ready to jump into and tackle any challenge with a flare of positivity and curiosity. While we all know Jeremy for his SN swag, and glowing NOW shoes, Jeremy can also be that quiet and persuasive force that listens and allows the group to cultivate its connection.
He is then ready to support the group as they diverge and converge around a topic - he allows all perspectives to shine through and then thoughtfully applies his experience and knowledge to keep the group moving forward.
There are so many ways that I appreciate Jeremy, for being an amazing team member as well as just being a kind and thoughtful human and friend
-Linna Ferguson
Caring appears to be Jeremy's superpower.
- Colleague
I genuinely like and respect Jeremy and appreciate discussions with him as a team member and friend.
- Colleague
Huge respect for knowledge, passion, and work ethic. He puts so much of himself in the work.
- Colleague
And this is about half of the wonderful quotes I recieved regarding Jeremy.
Stay Hungry and Humble
The subheading here it not only a fitting title, it also contains a double meaning, and it goes to show that ServiceNow is true to its own values when fostering and promoting its people.
The title is both a core value statement of ServiceNow, and descriptive of the first thing that springs to Jeremy's mind when describing the advice he would give to the next generation of ServiceNow professionals.
One motto I’ve lived by is to always say yes to new challenges. My saying yes to owning the platform as a customer 13 years ago is why I’m here today.
The motto rings true to me. I often feel like a borderline sadist when thinking about the choices that I have made for myself in the past in an effort to grow and learn. There will be a myriad of opportunities for those willing to take a leap of faith. And, personally I - and it would seem Jeremy - would not have had it any differently.
There is a danish song called 'Kære Linedanser' (en: Dear Tightrope Dancer) with a line going: "De stærkeste rødder har træer i blæst" (en: the strongest roots are in trees in the wind).
The Danish phrase is a proverbial expression suggests that trees that withstand strong winds develop the strongest roots....
So, to give your career the roots it needs to become a strong tree, you need to be hungry for challenges.
Seek wisdom from others on your journey. Others have been in the tough spots so learn from them.
Jeremy emphasizes the 'humble' part of the above-mentioned core value. You need to humble yourself to gain access to the wealth of knowledge that others already have withstood many winds to obtain.
Seek guidance, and seek mentors. Asking for help is a strength and a wise trait when used to your advantage. And, once you build a bit of knowledge, do not be afraid to pass it forward. That is much of what this article series is about in fact. Additionally, it is also what Jeremy does himself.
I want what you have, you seem to love your career."
Above is what a veteran, former law enforcement officer, and soon-to-be mentee of Jeremy said to him, and to which Jeremy promptly leaped to assist: "My answer was, of course, ABSOLUTELY!"
Throughout his career, Jeremy has been acting as a mentor and giving when he can.
He assisted his mentee throughout the NextGen program which allows for people from other industries to be retrained in the world of IT, and specifically ServiceNow (NextGen Professionals - Social Responsibility - ServiceNow). Also, see RiseUp (Own Your Career Path with RiseUp - ServiceNow).
The mentee succeeded in progressing through the program and obtaining the System Administrator certificate, which Jeremy notes is not to be taken as a given. Uprooting and replanting yourself in a new industry is a daunting task, but it will definitely help strengthen your metaphorical career tree.
Getting that first foot in is the tough part.
Even with RiseUp and NextGen doing everything in their power to support new newjoiners to our ServiceNow community, it does not guarantee that a job will automatically fall from the skies upon completion.
This is the next challenge and also for the above-mentioned mentee.
After getting into the SN world it is much easier to progress to the next exciting stepping stones within it.
Jeremy's best advice here is to identify organizations using ServiceNow that may be interested in hiring you as an apprentice as an investment to heighten their self-sufficiency rather than being overly reliant on contract workers and implementation partners.
I'm happy to report that the mentee now holds a position at an Implementation Partner, GlideFast.
Jeremy's unwavering support and guidance were pivotal in my journey through the ServiceNow NextGen program.
His belief in my potential and dedication to my success made all the difference, and were instrumental in helping me secure the job I have today - Chris Burnt.
Learn more about the 'Stay Hungry and Humble' value in this short video:
More from Jeremy
As mentioned, Jeremy is a giver. Read this article detailing how welcome.us rose in response to the invasion of Ukraine and Jeremy's part in the work.
Welcome.US | ServiceNow and Welcome.US' partnership comes full circle in one sponsor journey
Thank you, Jeremy, for the opportunity to share your wisdom.
It was a blast and inspiring to interview you for the article, as well as an excellent learning opportunity on several counts.
Up Next - Tim Woodruff
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