Chances are that you’ll find yourself wanting to change gears or directions at least a few times in your career. Personally, I’ve made several lateral and vertical moves - across a variety of industries and functions. Each time I made a move, I benefited from the wisdom and support of others who were in positions to help.
Whether you’re aiming for a higher title or switching from sales to product management, don’t forget to tap into the following invaluable, free resources at your company.
1. Mentors
If you haven’t found good mentors at your company, please follow our tips on finding them and getting the most out of your relationships with them.
In addition to many other benefits, mentors at your company can help you think through your transition strategy, give you valuable insights into internal company workings, and maybe even keep you posted on any interesting opportunities.
2. Sponsors
Here are some ways to find good sponsors and best leverage your relationships with them.
Sponsors can open doors for you, be your champions, and keep you top of mind when good opportunities become available.
3. Peers
Even if you’re not close friends with your coworkers, I think it’s always best to stay on good terms with the people who work with you. Aside from positive internal relationships being good for your company, team, and projects, they also come in handy when you’re looking for some personal career help. You never know; someone may be helpful as an advocate and/or source of great leads.
I’ve personally benefited several times from good relationships I’ve built with coworkers at various companies - in the form of internal job referrals and positive references for internal and external opportunities.
4. Managerial Contacts
It’s always helpful to network with people in other teams and departments across your company - especially those in managerial and senior roles. It helps you gain a greater understanding of the organization as a whole, and can come in handy when you’re exploring other opportunities.
When you’re researching potential internal roles, your managerial contacts within the company can be invaluable. If you feel comfortable directly asking about openings in their departments or asking them to keep an eye out for you, then go for it.
If you haven’t built that kind of rapport with any managerial contacts in departments that interest you, start by setting up coffee meetings with potential contacts from different departments. Explain that you’re looking to learn more about their teams and roles, to get a better sense of the organization as a whole.
Even if you’re not looking right now, by starting to create a good network of managerial contacts now, your potential search down the road can be that much easier - you may not even have to do much searching at all if they all come knocking on your door with interesting opportunities.
Please share this post with your networks using hashtag #nextplaymentoring. You can email us at Charu@nextplay.ai if any of this resonated with you - and especially if you have a mentorship success story to share!
