7 tips for corporate career success and why it’s not always the most capable or hardest working people who do well in a company..... Things you should and shouldn't do in your career in business.

1. 7tips for success in a
corporate career
And why it’s not always the most capable or hardest
working people who do well in a company.....

2. 1) Find yourself a sponsor
Finding a good sponsor can transform your career as they
can create opportunities for you from their success.
How do you know who to line up with as a sponsor?..... If
your gut tells you “this guy is good” he or she probably is.
And how do you get to
know them?.....Network
- if the sponsor is
going out with a group
for a drink or event
after work, stop what
you are doing and
make sure you are
there.

3. 2) It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it
These days, doing something quietly, confidently and well
doesn’t always get rewarded. It’s much more about your
visibility.
Be positive and make sure people know who you are and
what you are doing - talk up how well things are going and
give credit to your boss.
The way you market
yourself can be as (or
more!) important than
what you actually do.

4. 3) Define your niche
Most people like to categorise other people into “boxes”.
Companies are no different. If you work in several sectors
or functions you could look “lightweight” against people
who have stayed in one area.
Have a career plan and avoid roles which don’t support
that plan...
Or build a skills-based
career where broader
experience is valued
e.g. Consulting or
Interim work. You’ll
have more flexibility if
a sector or function is
in decline.

5. 4) Don’t stay too long
A new job can feel very rewarding. After a while, you
settle in and typically, this is the most productive
phase of your job.
But things can get too comfortable – That’s the time
to think about moving on.
It’s hard to be
promoted in middle
management as there is
so much competition.
It’s often better to
jump ship rather than
join the internal queue.
See point 3 above
though.

6. 5) If you’re not sure – don’t say anything
We’ve all done it. Whether it’s over enthusiasm, work
pressure or a misjudgement. It’s very easy to say
something on the spur of the moment that you regret
later.
In your early career, you want to make an impact but it’s
also a time when your knowledge is likely to be less than
those around you.
If there is something
you want to say, think
about arranging a
follow-up
conversation or
engineer a discussion
at the coffee machine
to make your point.

7. 6) Be positive
It’s a cultural thing. Ask an American or an Aussie how
they are and the answer will always be “great”. Ask a Brit
or a Finn and you are likely to get a tale of woe.
People don’t want to hear bad news as it makes them
nervous and labels you as negative. Use humour (The Irish
are brilliant at this). That said, you have to say how
things are.
...If you are responsible
for something and there
are problems (aka
“challenges”) and you
don’t tell stakeholders,
you will be deservedly
shot!

8. 7) When you leave, don’t let rip
Getting a new job can be one of the best moments in life –
so can leaving one! If you’ve had a tough time and you’re
moving on, it’s very tempting to say exactly what you
think about a company or the people in it. Don’t!
It is more than likely that you (or someone in your
network) will work with these people again at some time
in your career.
If you really want to have
your say, post it
anonymously.
Or use Glassdoor to find
out about a company
before joining so you
avoid the companies you
really wouldn’t want to
work for.