Utilise your in office days
Your in office days offer a unique chance to explore the wealth of knowledge and experience that surrounds you. This was something that took me a long time to be able to fully appreciate, as I am so lucky to have some of the world’s best technologists working beside me, and I didn’t properly utilise these connections until recently. By being in the office, you are ensuring you don't miss out on any team activities, any shadowing, or any one off events that may help your professional development. It is also so much easier to ask teammates or other colleagues for help or to shadow them, as if you're working remote you may have to message them, set up a meeting or schedule a time when you're both next in office, however if you're in the office you can utilise asking them for help in person, which will also help to strengthen your communication skills.
Actively seek mentorship
By seeking out a mentor within your team or your wider team, you are taking a proactive step that not only fosters guidance but also provides you with a crucial ‘support system’. Collaborating closely with your mentor allows you to receive personalised advice, ensuring a positive outcome in your deliverables at work. Your mentor can also serve as a valuable reference for feedback, whether it's for discussions with your manager or for future job applications. Beyond professional development, having a mentor creates an additional layer of understanding within your team, helping you to better integrate within.
Shadowing
If you work in a technical role, shadowing team members is a great way to understand more about what they do and how they actually do something, this is a great way to get more involved and get more ‘hands on’ with the work you're doing, especially if you're new. Asking to shadow some team members has helped me develop skills that I have used to start working on tasks that otherwise wouldn’t have been given to me, hence furthering both my technical and professional development.
Effective communication and business acumen
Make sure that your communication with your team and especially your wider team is professional, concise and effective. The ‘effectiveness’ is the most important part, as you want to make sure that you are getting your message across in the simplest way possible, while also being professional about the way you are coming across. To get better at this, I’ve personally adopted the ‘no hello’ policy, and have been reading several books on how to get better at communication - “48 laws of power” and “how to win friends and influence people” have helped to change my mind set on tailoring how I communicate to different people.
Initiate cross departmental connections
This is a strategic move that can enhance your professional development as well as your reputation. Reach out to professionals in different departments to establish connections, by asking about their role, understanding how and if it potentially connects to your role / team project, and if you can, try and attend different talks / events related to other departments, this will help you gain a wider understanding as well as insights into the diverse roles and responsibilities across your company.
