Every year, my daughter’s school sends along a big box of candy to be sold for charity. And guess who does all the selling, eating, and sometimes paying for this? The parents, exactly…dragging along boxes of sweets to work, advocating for this or that charity to their co-workers, checking the solicitation policy for any missteps, and putting out their best marketing skills to bail their kids out of trouble…

Now don’t get me wrong…While I encourage Dear Daughter to do her own selling and marketing, I also (almost always) find myself advocating for her. For her success, for her progress, and…to redeem myself for all the times I dropped her off late at school (it happens…). She’s got Mommy in her “success corner”, as I like to tell her…

In your career, too, who do you have in your “success corner”. Who advocates for you to help you along as you advance, and progress through the ranks?

I know what you may thinking…Isn’t hard work enough? Doesn’t showing up early and staying late compensate for all the career support in the world? And how do I even get people to advocate for me?

When I started in Big Accounting, I had the same questions, concerns and doubts. After all, I was an independent, smart (except when it came t figuring out directions), young woman. I knew what I wanted, I was willing to work hard and get it.

When I started seeing others like myself rise through the ranks rapidly, I noticed most of them were the ones who were mentored, supported and advocated for by more senior employees. Those who asked for support and advice. Those who reached out and created their own advocacy network. Those who had other more experienced, more seasoned people go around and help their sell their “career”.

Then when I finally got a mentor, she confirmed what I had always suspected. As a young professional in the Finance industry, she had risen to meteoric levels of success very rapidly. And the tips she gave me changed my perspective on what it really takes to build long, lasting career success:

1. Back people up in a corner: This particular mentor would get in to the office early to try and speak with her managers and directors. She would specifically ask them what she had to do in order to get ahead in her career. And she would do this not just during performance reviews, but at least once a quarter to get their attention. The trick here is to ask for specific action items that you can start tackling now, and to keep yourself accountable for these.
2. It’s about action! Now getting a list of actionable items from your managers and directors is one thing, putting these into action is another! Devise of a plan of action to address each to-do on your list, and enlist the help of more senior employees who’d be willing to lend a hand. Assess how long it will take you to complete these, and get to work!
3. Follow up: Organize frequent (but not too frequent, once a month is a good bet) check-ups with management to follow up on the action items they recommended, and keep them updated. Completing these tasks and presenting your progress will in turn “back them up in a corner”, where they’re now accountable for delivering on their word. Tricky? A bit. Effective? Hell yes.
4. Rinse and repeat! Repeat this process as often as needed to keep pushing yourself further in your career. The point is to get members of management to advocate for you and support you as you rise through the corporate ranks. Some of the advice, and the relationships you forge along the way, will last a lifetime…

What is your ultimate trick to advancing in your career?

Love,

The Corporate Sis.