CNBC.COMWhen Gillian Munson was deciding whether to assume her current job as Vimeo's chief financial officer, not everyone in her life thought it was the best career move. She's glad she didn't listen to the pushback.
"There's someone I really, really respected who really didn't want me to take this job. They wanted me to take a different job," she tells CNBC Make It. "I had to trust my gut."
Following her instinct to join the video services company proved to be a smart decision, says Munson, 54, who has more than 30 years of professional finance experience.
"I've had a bunch of different folks tell me what I should pursue or what job I should take, more based on what they would want," she explains. "From my perspective, someone else's view of what you should do — it's helpful … but I think being a little more true to what you want to do is really, really important."
She says the finance team she's assembled at Vimeo represents a career high for her, calling it "the best team I've ever had."
"That has to do with pulling all those years of experience together and crafting a team that really is reflective of how I like to lead," Munson says. "I couldn't be having more fun."
Why you should pursue 'fun' work
People spend too much time stressing over whether they can land and keep a job, and neglect to consider whether they would even be happy with the role, according to Munson. She says she wishes she'd figured out what kind of work she finds fun sooner because work is ultimately "so much of your day."
Earlier in her career, Munson worked in investment banking and looked up to a senior female partner at her bank. But, she was nervous at the thought of one day being in a similar role, she says, adding that she thought, "I'm not good at what she's good at."
That prompted Munson to ask herself: What's the role I've always thought was the coolest job ever? The answer was CFO.
"I always thought CFOs were really interesting," she says. "I always was so in awe of what they did."
Munson found role models in two CFOs she met in her early career, both of whom "were incredible at making their company's stories in numbers come alive," she adds. She was inspired to do the same.
Imagining her dream job led Munson to switch paths from investment banking to corporate finance. Her No. 1 piece of career advice to others: Think beyond your current job — and even your next role.
"Look out roughly two jobs ahead of where you're sitting" and imagine what your days would look like if you occupied that position, she says.
"Try to put yourself in those shoes and think to yourself, 'I'm going to be comfortable doing that,'" Munson adds. "You want to be excited to get up and do the work."
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