Young managers in the food industry should make time for "navel-gazing" as they carve out careers in fmcg according to a training chief at United Biscuits. Julia Nicholls, UB's distribution training and development manager, said employees with good self-knowledge can carve themselves a fulfilling career as opposed to a mundane job of work. Speaking at the IGD's Leading Edge conference, Nicholls urged young people in the food industry to seek the knowledge of experts to improve their understanding of what would lead them to success. Nicholls said: "You need to ask yourself, what do I do best and least well? What most and least motivates me? What do I enjoy? What knowledge do I have? What skills do I think I possess? What is important in my life?'" Steps along a career path should be governed by "anchors" ­ aspects of work which an employee would always want to hold on to. Psychologist Edgar Schein identified eight types of career anchor that apply across all spheres of work. The first is technological and functional: an employee with a unique talent, such as an artist, or somone who is gifted technologically, would be happy in any career which used that talent. People whose anchor is general managerial are content in a role where they are a team leader. Those whose careers are anchored in autonomy and independence want to get on with their job without interference, A fourth type is security and stability ­ found in jobs such as those in the Civil Service, where an individual is given the opportunity to work up the ranks. Other anchors are entrepreneurial creativity; service, such as nursing; pure challenge, regardless of the goal; and lifestyle ­ whether the goal is achieved by part-time working or by high earnings. {{PEOPLE MOVES }}