What are the best ways to build a support system for your career goals?

Honesty, let's start with timing! For most people building a support system happens when they are in dire need of the support. The issue with this approach is that you come off as desperate. In my experience, people who are desperate tend to act irrationally and aggressively. I'd like to offer a suggestion to always be learning, growing and supporting others so that you can have a network in place before you NEED something. It will decrease your how needy you appear and feel that you will be and increase your likelihood of gaining a strong a support network that you can reach out to anytime.

More often people set their career goal as “get a job” - and only when they lose a job or hate their current job. While a job one does well at or enjoys can certainly be a goal, what will help even more is answering this question: “What role do I want work to play in my life?” Is it just salary and benefits and go home? Is it finding friends and social interaction or doing your work remotely away from people as much as possible? Do you get intrinsic satisfaction from a certain kind of work? Do you care if your work makes the world a better place? These are but a few potential follow up questions, the answers to which will change your career aspirations.

Being connected to others outside my workplace has really helped to nurture my career. It's amazing the kind of insightful tips and guidance you can get in a casual conversation amongst friends who are fellow project managers, developers and even lawyers. For example, I remember being stuck on a stakeholder management issue when a financial analyst friend of mine suggested I take a step back and find one or two key collaborators that frequently communicate with the stakeholders outside of our projects. I gave it a go and it produced a stronger positive result than I expected! Big cheers to amazing friends who are a key support system!

When pursuing your career, it is important to note that you need to make your goals smart and always take smaller steps to achieve part of your goal. Stay focused on your purpose

I advise anyone who is building their support network to have different types of mentors. For example, seek out someone who has the same or similar role or career path that you are interested in as well as someone in whom you can seek general guidance. The latter can be anyone who has experience in your industry or elsewhere that can offer you sound advice. Having a career coach is also a must when you are serious about career growth.

Try to find organizations that have cohorts baked into them. That could be school clubs, new grad rotational program, grad programs, start up incubators, and more. You bond deeply with those in your position. It helps you personally and professionally.

This is probably, differently from the common opinion, the most difficult exercise to perform in the actual Multi cultural organizations, due many factors. One thing i found useful is to shadow peers: sit close (also virtually, if not in person) and sharing a screen, work on the same thing , listen to the conversation , propose idea and actions. This is not only building relationship, but also being a contributor to other's success, which in turn help the trust and connections.

One thing I find most helpful is having an EXECUTABLE professional development plan. Mentors, coaches…your manager and talent development team, can align and support a plan- but they (including myself) have a hard time supporting a wish. And if you do it right, by the time you build your plan, you will know exactly what support network you need/want - and when.

Build networks outside your niche, your core area of interest and expertise. True development is done by looking around not up, because you build high towers only with strong (i.e. reasonably large foundations). Plus, better does not mean higher for everybody, better might mean more interesting, newer, more challenging, something to learn. This is done by getting your nose out of your narrow road.