Frank Holland

Ask Vivian: The One Question I Always Get (A few thoughts from my Times career advice column; on how to set yourself up for future success in your work.) https://lnkd.in/eVSC2ZFw Q: I joined The Times about a year ago. Although I’m not looking to move up yet, it would be good to know what to do to set myself up for advancement in the newsroom. What would you recommend? A: One of the best things you can do is to be your own advocate. It sounds like a cliché, but it will make an impact in a place like The Times. This is true at any stage of your career, but it’s especially important to get into the habit of doing it early in your time here. We’d all like to believe that our work speaks for itself. But that’s not always going to be the case. If you just published an interesting story or helped put together an incredible graphic, you need to make sure that your best friend isn’t the only person who knows about it. Start by thinking about who you want to showcase your skills to — is it your department head, an editor in another department, or someone on the masthead? Think about who you would want as your advocates and be cognizant about putting yourself forward whenever you interact with people who could have some influence over your career. So, say you’re in a meeting with a higher-level editor you don’t know very well, make sure you participate and contribute something during the meeting — don’t be a wallflower. However you do it, try to do it as organically and as often as you can. This is a numbers game — the more people you know (and who know you and your work), the more likely you’re going to get that next job you want. For many of us, this will feel outside of our comfort zone. I get it, and in fact, I was right there with you when I joined The Times 27 years ago. But I found a way to promote my work in a way that felt authentic and so can you. Here’s how I did it: Whenever I wanted to show my friends something great I’d accomplished, whether it was nailing an interview or getting a story published on A1, I tried to redirect some of that energy and also share it with at least one person beyond my circle. Try it out and see if this approach — which, by the way, works in any part of our organization — makes sense for you. If this still feels out of reach, that’s OK. You can start even smaller. For example, if you run into a manager who you want to connect with, you can approach them with some other topic. Maybe you want to chat about someone else’s story that impressed you that day, or a photograph that you found impactful or a graphic that blew your mind. Regardless of what you want to talk about, find a way to start the conversation. Ask good questions. Show people how you think. Remember, the next time you wrap up something you’re proud of, consider sharing it with someone you want to know, and you’ll be on your way to building a relationship that could pay dividends in the future.

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