How to Make Your Corporate Career Work For You

TLDR: There are pros and cons to every career choice. If you work in corporate now, you may not be there forever. Take advantage of the unique opportunities, resources, and structure that a larger company offers while you have it available and use it to benefit your future career choices.

Me and my colleagues at an event sponsored by one of the Business Resource Groups I helped lead while I was at Unilever

If you’re working in Corporate America, it may seem like everyone is jumping ship to become an entrepreneur or move to a startup these days. There’s no doubt that there are pros and cons to every career choice. And there is no right or wrong - just what’s right for you right now.

I made a choice this year to leave my traditional IT career behind after 10 years because it is what is right for me in this chapter of my life. What I will say though is that I do not regret any of those 10 years, including when I worked for a mega multinational. Why not? Because I got an incredible amount of value that I may not have been able to get or appreciate if I hadn’t had that experience. I truly believe those years set the foundation for the knowledge and skills that allow me to be successful at managing the chaos of startup life. Plus, on the personal side, I met my best friends in life to this day through my time in corporate.

What I took for granted while I was working at a larger corporation was all of the structure, resources, and opportunities that were available to me. realized that these opportunities aren't always available and in place, especially at smaller companies. Every experience will provide unique value along your journey, but it may not be the same from place to place. My one piece of advice is to take advantage of these things while they are available to you. Here’s how.

Network

They say your network is your net worth. Sounds kind of cheesy, but the point here is that having a solid set of genuine connections you can lean on and that can lean on you is priceless. Especially if you are ever looking to change jobs, career paths, or start your own business. Larger companies give you the opportunity to get exposed to a greater number of cross functional peers, upper level management, and even external partners.

To build connections that last, focus on asking yourself what you can do for others and what value you can provide to them. People will remember you for that. Even if you leave a company or move on to a new project, nurture the relationships that you value. Shoot them an email on LinkedIn every once in a while, ask to catch up in person or over a virtual coffee, or send them a referral for their business. When it comes time to ask for a helping hand (and there will come a time), you will have a strong network of people you can tap into. Trust me, it makes all the difference in the world.

Corporate Perks

Discount portals on all kinds of things like electronics and rental cars, credit card points, partnerships with insurance companies for low rates, free legal services…the list goes on. There are so many perks that often get overlooked when we’re cranking away at our day jobs. Take advantage of the programs your company offers while you can. Need a new laptop? Buy it using the corporate discount while you have it. Don’t have a will? Take advantage of the free legal service and get one created before you leave.

I have friends who have their entire home offices furnished by their company, have gotten free airline tickets from points saved on their corporate cards, and who I always make book the rental car because of the sweet discount they get. Check your company’s HR or benefits portal before you make plans or big money investments and see what you might be able to benefit from.

Certifications, trainings, and tuition reimbursement

At some companies, you can get a whole bachelors degree or professional certification at the low cost of free-99! I was able to get a certification course in Project Management covered while on my international assignment in India because a few other people in my team asked for it and we went as a group. I know others who have gotten Stanford Executive MBA’s and PMP certifications fully covered with zero strings attached. As long as it relates to your job, you can typically negotiate to have it covered. Check what your company offers standard, speak with your manager, and build formal learning into your personal development path. When you frame the additional training as a value add for the company, it is much more likely that the cost will get covered.

Job shadowing or training programs

I started my career at Unilever in a management training program. While there were definitely some bumps in the road being the first class to go through it in the U.S., there were a lot of advantages. I was able to do 3 different roles in 3 years to see what area of IT I liked. It ultimately helped me make my niche in Ecommerce which I wouldn’t have known I wanted to do without that experience.

Larger companies tend to let you move around the organization once you’re in and have proven you are a high performer. They see the value in having people who know different parts of the org and can solve problems better because of this experience.

If you’re interested in a department or role outside of your current one, ask your manager about opportunities to job shadow a colleague one day a week or if there is a cross functional project you can work on that will give you exposure to that area. You can get the experience without having to jump ship to a new company and prove yourself all over again. I have found having a breadth of experience opens up more job opportunities in the future if you ever want to expand outside of what you’re doing today.

Short term assignments and global roles

Being able to go work in another country or travel internationally on the regular may not be happening now, but it did in the past and I believe it will continue to be needed in our global economy in the future. The larger the company the more likely it is that they have multiple locations or clients across the world. If you love traveling, working for a multinational corporation can allow you to take advantage of all expense paid trips to places you may never have gone on your own.

I did a short term assignment in India for 4 months thanks to Unilever and it really opened up my world view. I learned a lot professionally but also personally, learning about a new culture and building a life somewhere new. I have friends who have gotten to travel to Brazil, the UK and China all in one year! They take advantage of these trips by tacking on an extra weekend and exploring the country. I mean if your ticket is already paid for, why not? You can use global roles to feed your love of travel and save big bucks doing it.

Name recognition

It’s no secret that recruiters are drawn to “big names” on resumes. When I was job searching, having a globally recognized company like Unilever on my resume definitely helped give me a little extra leverage when speaking to recruiters. I will never advocate for going to a big company just to have the name on your resume.

I know people who have done that and were miserable in their job for a year to have the name on their resume so they could parlay it into another job. Only you can decide if that is worth it for you. But remember, your mental and emotional health is so important and needs to be protected. That said, you can absolutely have a great experience at a well recognized company. Just be sure it fits your criteria and you are getting more value from it than it is taking away from you.

Structure

The red tape and web of processes at large corporations used to frustrate me to no end. It wasn’t until I left to go to a really small company that I realized that having structure isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, the larger you grow, the more necessary it is to have some level of structure built in so you can actually get things done. Plus, when you’re just starting your career, it is incredibly helpful to know what is expected of you, how to do your job, and how to navigate the organization.

While there is definitely a balance, having structure and processes can certainly be a positive. Going through the experience of having a process for everything (some efficient, some not so efficient) actually helped me to recognize in my future roles where processes were needed and how to construct them to best benefit the team. Without seeing examples of this kind of structure, it can be difficult to help create them when needed.

Mentorship programs

Mentorship matters. Whether it’s in your career or just your life, having people who have been where you have been and are where you want to be is priceless. The great thing about larger companies is that they tend to have formal mentorship programs that you can easily sign up for. If you’re not sure if your company has one, reach out to your manager or someone in HR.

Even if your company doesn’t have a formal mentorship program or you’re not into structured relationships, you can find an informal mentor at work as well. Maybe there is someone who’s career you admire, or a job you think is really interesting you’d like to learn more about. Just reach out to that person and ask if you can chat. People will be flattered by this request (who doesn’t feel good when they can help someone else out) and I guarantee they will say yes. This goes back to the first part about building up your network and leveraging it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice.

Business groups

Companies have all different names for these - Business Resource Groups, ERG’s, Affinity Groups, etc. You get the picture. What this comes down to is the opportunity to be a part of something you are passionate about outside of your day to day work. Business groups allow you to meet new people in your company you might not have otherwise, build your leadership skills, attend conferences and events, and make a real impact. Plus they are great resume builders.

Being a part of a business resource group at Unilever really helped me to gain exposure to senior level leadership, create new friendships, travel to some awesome places for free. Not to mention it was a lot of fun! You never know what new opportunities might come out of being a part of these resource groups, especially once you leave the company. If you haven’t looked into what groups exist at your company already, I would highly encourage you to find one that speaks to your values and look into joining.

Remember, every company and job is going to provide a different set of unique opportunities and add value to your life. If it doesn’t, it’s time to look for something that does. I hope that this article helps you to see what value you can tap into within your corporate structure and what new doors that can open in the future.

Have other thoughts on this based on your experience in corporate? Drop them in the comments here! Let’s learn from each other.