Back in the glory days when I was running Celebrate Everyday, and living at Lassonde Studios, I was given the opportunity to interview with around 12 different companies and news articles.
One of the most impressive interviews I did was for Fast Company (I know, my dad has never been so proud). In that interview, I talked about the network that I was creating at Lassonde. A network of other students who were also starting companies like me. During the interview, I said:
I’ve met so many people that I can call on for so many favors 10 years from now. I know that when I start another company, they’re going to be the people to help me or to give me advice or be business partners.
I know, I know, it is TOTALLY tacky quoting myself. But I have improved in grammar, and its a good lesson, so keep reading (;
Deutsche Bank Intern Boat Cruise. We are all technology interns, breaking glass ceilings!
Fast forward 3 years, and I just got back from a summer internship at Deutsche Bank. As a global corporation with around 80,000 employees (R.I.P.), Deutsche Bank also understood the importance of networking. They drilled it into our little intern heads: “Make sure to network with the Managing Partners and Directors on your team”, or “You guys are so lucky, we set up a weekly learning session with different MP’s from the bank”, “Don’t miss this volunteer opportunity to get to work along side Managing Directors, and everyone is on the same level at this event!”.
We were continually encouraged to network with people in much higher positions then ours. I totally get it, having friends in high places can really help, especially if you want to climb that corporate ladder. But I think the concept of networking has changed quite a bit since when our parents got a job by networking with their neighbors, cousins, uncle who is the VP of *insert big company here*. The value of a network is made by having a strong peer group, not by getting coffee with a MP at a large corporation.
Times are changing and employment is much different then it was in previous generations. We aren’t spending 30 years at the same corporation where it is beneficial to network with higher ups within your organization.
Instead, we are switching jobs every 6 years. Reinventing ourselves and changing careers. People are starting companies, and they are enlisting their peers to help them do it.
Two of the amazingly talented and great friends I made at Deutsche Bank, who I hope to work with again in the future.
I wish I had learned the importance of a peer network sooner. I wish I would have sent those Happy Birthday texts to people on my level. I wish I didn’t bail on them to get lunch, so I could get lunch with an MP. I hope that you might take a second to see who in your peer network is valuable, and make sure to keep those connections going, not just your slim connection with the VP of *insert big company here*.
-JoCee