7 Careers That Are Built on Relationships
Great careers await those people who have mastered the art of networking and relationship-building. Careers built on relationships strongly call for creating and maintaining a client base. The essential aspects of these careers include the ability to make a connection with other people and the confidence to market yourself and your skills. Now if you are thinking of a career move that will require your interpersonal skills and is highly dependent on your existing professional network, consider the jobs below.
1. Public Relations (PR) Officer
From the name alone, a career in the PR field is often built on diverse, meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships. PR professionals are in-charge of growing, managing and promoting the consumer's perception of a certain product, brand or company and often need to liaise, connect and work with journalists and media executives to do so.
Being the voice of brands, they need to establish useful connections in traditional media like print, radio and television as well as online influencers. Succeeding in the PR field means committing yourself to networking and relationship-building. Relationships in the world of public relations can be volatile that is why extra care should be taken to manage and grow these relationships.
2. Financial Planner
If you want to become a financial planner, you have to obtain first a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or economics. A good academic background will go nicely on top of your inherent ability to deal with people with great ease. You may also find it useful when you have taken courses related to taxes, investments, and other subjects of financial concerns.
Because financial planners assist clients with investments, insurance, retirement planning, and some other financial considerations, you really need to develop trusting relationships with people including potential and existing clients.
Needless to say, a financial planner should establish his or her own client base. When your customers are satisfied with your services, they will definitely refer new clients, growing your clientele.
3. Real Estate Agent
If you want to become a good real estate agent, you have to establish rapport with your clients as well as be sensitive to the needs of your buyers and of the sellers you represent. Because selling and buying property is a major financial decision, clients will only transact with those people whom they feel they can trust.
By and large, a real estate agent depend upon ‘word of mouth' in making his or her business flourish, so having satisfied clients will mean more referrals and more potential clients.
The educational background needed to become a real estate agent may differ - you can simply get an associate's degree as well as a certification that permits you to work in the real estate industry.
4. Mortgage Broker
When you want to become a mortgage broker, your main job is to assist clients with locating a mortgage that is right for them. Aside from good communication skills, a major part of this career is the financial know-how in order to provide the right advice to clients.
A mortgage broker, much similar to a real estate agent, assists clients with crucial transactions, thus establishing trust with clients is a must.
When you are planning to become a mortgage broker, you need to develop good working relationships with banks and other lenders as well as establish rapport with real estate agents who can give you referrals.
Even though no formal education is required to become a mortgage broker, it is advantageous if you have a bachelor's degree in finance or any related field.
5. Supply Chain Manager (Logistics)
Supply chain management (SCM) is the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. Logistics, on the other hand, refers to activities such as procurement, distribution and inventory management. While SCM and logistics are used interchangeably, logistics mainly refer to activities within an organization while supply chain management encompasses a network of companies working together.
Creating and maintaining healthy working relationships with clients and customers has always been (and still is) a foundational skill of supply chain management as well as logistics. Excelling in both fields require credibility, trust as well as some level personal relationships among business and individuals.
Those who work in the field of logistics and supply chain management are skilled relationship builders, have a broad-based knowledge of the industry they're in and more importantly, they have deep appreciation of the working relationships that exist among clients and suppliers.
6. Sales Representative
Regardless of the different types of sales jobs, the need for strong networking skills is one thing they have in common.
Again, relationship building can definitely lead to repeat business and referred customers. If you are good in persuading and negotiating, that would definitely be a plus point when you are in sales. Those who completed high school or even earned a bachelor's degree can have a position in the field of sales since good people skills and relationship building are the important factor for sales representative.
7. Business Development Manager
The primary concern of business development managers is the growth and expansion of the company they work for, which can only be achieved by locating new business opportunities and finding new clients.
If you want to become a business development manager, you have to be comfortable and confident with making cold calls given that creating new business contacts is a key aspect of this job. A Master of Business Administration degree is required to hold this position.
***
Nowadays, a strong and diverse professional network is requisite to a successful career. Through networking and relationship-building, you can equip yourself with the connections and resources you need to achieved your desired outcomes and ultimately succeed in your chosen career.
