how do create your own opportunities?
- pick a door and bang on it!

I’m sat in Starbucks.

I’m one of four people sat in a row with laptops plugged into the power…

People around me have a laptop, book or tablet/phone, some with a newspaper. The soundtrack is loud enough to create an atmosphere, but not overpower, playing all the Rays: Ray Lamontagne, Lana del Ray, Ray Charles. I kid you not.

Sliding Doors?

The two people to my left have introduced themselves and are engaged in conversation.

I eavesdrop. One heads up a small communications agency in the centre of Brighton, the other is a freelance copywriter. I get caught staring so turn back to my laptop screen. Their animated voices suggest they are pleased fate brought them together. Contact details are exchanged and they revert to a laptop and an A5 diary to arrange a time for a “proper meeting”.

Their introduction was by chance (from what I could hear) but they have begun to build a professional relationship. Sliding Doors moment perhaps. It’s great when this happens, but it certainly doesn’t happen every day.

Opening doors

Actively building relationships, particularly within the workplace and in the early stages of our career, often takes a backseat.

“I work on my professional relationships every day.”

Yes, we build relationships that meet the requirements of our role. We talk to people to get the job done.

How do we build relationships that are meaningful to us and our career, that motivates us and helps us develop as a person?

“My colleagues motivate me - we have a good laugh.”

It’s good to be happy among our peers and build good relations. But they shouldn’t be our sole motivator. There is always opportunity to learn from someone else to help improve our skills and broaden our knowledge.

“My manager supports me with courses and encourages me to read.”

Yes, our manager should invest an interest to help us learn, develop and grow…

…but we need to create opportunities too.

This is something I learned a few years ago and wish I’d have learned it earlier in my career.

Pick a door…

The advice I received was to “Pick a door and bang on it!”

You create the opportunities to learn, develop and move up the ladder, they don’t always fall in your lap in Starbucks.

As a starter for ten, consider how you want to progress with your current employer. Whether you’re at the start of your career or you’ve changed paths, reflect and think about what direction you want to go in. What do you need to learn to make those moves? What relationships do you need to proactively build to show your employer you’re hungry for a challenge? Who in your organisation do you admire? Who can you learn from?

This could be one person, it could be several, either way take them for a coffee and ask them to help you. Explain what you want to learn, how you want to develop your skills and what direction you want your career to go in.

Most people who you approach will want to help you – it’s how we’re designed, to help others; I was surprised how open people were to help me get to where I wanted to be. How you build those relationships thereafter is up to you – on a formal basis with regular mentoring, or informally to sound ideas and ask questions at point of need.

…an external door

There’s a hesitancy to mirror this approach externally to your employer. You’re not unfaithful by building relationships outside the four walls of your office. Any MD/CEO worth their salt would consider this a benefit to their organisation.

I approached other marketers in my industry (even competitors) who could relate to my field of work: What could I learn from them? How could we help each other grow? How could sharing our experiences help us understand our audience and target market better?

I also banged on other people’s doors outside of my profession and industry – local brands I admired. In addition, I explored local communities/networks I could join to support my development as a person and as a marketer.

Sat in Starbucks.

I’m one of four people sat in a row with laptops plugged into the power... I’m waiting on the MD of a Brighton-based PR agency to arrive as I asked them to meet me for coffee; I admire their work.

I’ve never forgotten the advice I received years ago, and I continue to reach out to people and create my own opportunities. Building meaningful relationships throughout your career is a must, not only to grow your personal network but to expand your knowledge by learning from others’ experiences.

Yes, it can be scary putting yourself out there, but you can’t rely on those Sliding Doors moments. If anything, finding the confidence to proactively build those relationships makes those Sliding Doors moments even sweeter!