Successful people understand that team work really does make the dream work, and so they put as much effort into building career relationships as they do upskilling and showcasing their skillset.
A carefully curated career relationship will not only help you in your current role, but also for years to come as you continue to network and share industry information with former colleagues.
Career relationships aren’t defined by fun, gossip or coffee runs––they’re also more complex than simply getting along. Sure, you can shoot the breeze with Carol from accounts over a coffee, but do you know how she can help you succeed and achieve your career goals?
This is where a strategic approach comes in.
What does success look like in your role and what does success look like to you in general? How do the two combine to help you achieve your career goals? Once you have a clear plan on what you need to achieve and how, it’s time to look outside yourself and see who else in the workplace can help you achieve those goals.
By understanding what you need from a colleague, you’re able to communicate clearly, set boundaries and ensure everybody knows what’s expected. In the current work from home climate, having a clear understanding of which colleagues can help you means you can set up time to have one-on-one calls, or in-person catch ups when appropriate to ensure you hit those goals.
You need your colleague’s help, so it makes sense that they also need yours. The key to lasting career relationships is trust––your colleagues need to know that they can trust you to get your part of a project done to a high standard. Which means following through on commitments.
If you set a deadline for a piece of research, make it, or let people know in advance why you didn’t, and set a new plan. If you say you’ll catch up by a certain day or have information on a certain date, make sure you do. Not only will this approach help your reputation within the company, but it will also build goodwill among your colleagues who will be more inclined to go above and beyond when needed.
Say thank you. And give credit where it’s due. You’re trying to build a lasting relationship so that means you need to be considerate and assume a level playing field. If a colleague added the missing piece to a project, say thank you and mention it to any members of the senior team you may both work with. This not only shows a lack of ego and a real team player mentality, but it also builds trust among your colleagues.
Everybody is busy. If a colleague needs you, or needs your help on a project, make time for them. You don’t have to drop everything immediately, but if somebody asks for help, schedule in time to answer questions, give a hand or check in on the status of a project. Everybody has deadlines. If you want to work together as a team, you need to show that you don’t think you’re more important than anyone else.
Some companies are renowned for their team spirit, with former employees talking about a culture of learning and progression. The London Economic Job Board is filled with such opportunities. Below, you’ll discover three companies which are currently hiring, but make sure to browse the Job Board for even more opportunities.
Streaming giant Netflix prides itself on supporting employees, and as such offers a range of benefits including family and parental leave, mental health support, employee stock programmes and a flexible approach to work. Netflix is currently hiring for a number of roles in its London-based office, including an Accountant, and a Content Accounting Manager.
A company that creates and releases apps while encouraging its employees to embrace disruptive practices, ByteDance is one of the fastest growing development companies. It currently has 15 research centres across the world, and employs over 110,000 people. ByteDance is currently hiring for a number of London-based roles, including an EMEA Business Development Manager, a Production System Engineer and an EMEA HR Compliance Lead. Browse all available opportunities at ByteDance.
There’s no getting away from social media disruptor TikTok, and now the video sharing app is hiring for a number of roles in its London office. Benefits of working at TikTok include health insurance, pension contribution, a generous paid time off allowance and additional subsidies like fitness and travel. TikTok is currently hiring for a number of roles across all departments, including an Accounts Receivable Manager, and a User Experience Specialist. Browse all available roles at TikTok.
