Lorraine Twohill, Google’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), has become a vocal advocate for embracing career flexibility, encouraging young professionals to prioritize exploration and continuous learning over the traditional career ladder.
With more than 4,000 employees under her leadership, Twohill shared insights on her approach to career growth during her appearance on LinkedIn’s This Is Working podcast.
Twohill, who started her professional journey in marketing for European travel companies, believs that career progression isn’t always a straightforward climb. Instead, it often involves shifting industries, departments, or even facing unexpected job losses. “Life and companies like Google are more like a jungle gym than a career ladder,” she explained. “Enjoy the journey, Learn as much as you can. Try different roles, explore different teams, acquire new skills, and stay informed.”
Her own career path serves as an example of this mindset. Twohill never imagined working for a tech startup, let alone joining a company like Google. She started her journey with the tech giant after collaborating with them at a pevious job, where an unexpected invitation led her to a series of interviews.
After 22 interviews, she landed one of Google’s first marketing roles in Europe, eventually moving to the U.S. to become the head of global marketing.
Reflecting on the importance of staying well-informed, Twohill recalled a formative experience early in her career with a difficult manager. As a junior employee, she frequently asked tough questions during meetings, like, “What were our earnings last quarter? What’s our margin? How do we price this?” Though she didn’t have the answers, the experience taught her a valuable lesson—understanding the business and staying informed is key.
Now, managing a global team at Google, Twohill emphasizes that young professionals should focus on acquiring diverse experiences and skills, rather than following a rigid path to success.