Advice from a Tenured Associate

Like the city of “Smalltimore” itself, T. Rowe Price is known for its small-town feel. In a small town everyone knows everyone’s business and successes and failures are well-known by tenured citizens. To flourish in our culture, make sure you focus on the following:

1. Relationships matter. Be prepared to spend time developing your network.
   
   

   Having a network of people, you can call to solve a problem, is how work gets done here. Develop relationships with colleagues, including people outside your team or business unit. It’s extremely helpful at T. Rowe Price to share knowledge and ideas with colleagues in different parts of the firm.

   How do you meet people? Start with who you are and your passions. How do you identify – are you a person of color, a woman, a veteran, do you enjoy hiking, or community work? Are you LGBTQ+, are you interested in sales, accounting or graphic design? Starting with who you are, your interests and the skills you want to build, and connecting with an existing network, is the way to go.

   There are plenty of ways to start a conversation. Virtual meet and greets, coffee and lunch dates are the norm. It’s common to see associates waiting in the lobby at noon to meet for lunch. It’s fascinating to observe the T. Rowe tribe folks have built over time.

   If a lunch or coffee invite seems too formal, there are plenty of interest-driven groups (both in-person and virtual) where you can meet others. There are exercise groups (running, bootcamps), book clubs, and Toastmasters^®, just to name a few options. T. Rowe Price has a strong philanthropic focus and offers activities to meet folks and make a difference.

2. Keep in mind that mobility isn’t always upward.
   
   

   Think about your long-term career goals. What do you want to do in three years? Five years? Don’t worry, you won’t have to figure it out all by yourself. People managers are encouraged to have regular discussions about your career growth.

   There are nearly 2,200 courses (as of December 5) available to associates at T. Rowe Price. You’re encouraged to use paid company time to learn new skills. You can also consider a job rotation, find a mentor or join a committee within a business resource group.

   It’s important to note all career paths are different and it’s not necessary to lead a team to advance. Our compensation system rewards individual contributors equally, if managing others isn’t your thing. If you’re interested in exploring roles which require certifications, the company will provide sponsorship.

3. You don’t need a financial background to work at T. Rowe Price.
   
   That said, be willing to learn about the industry, regardless of your role. We’re an asset manager, but it takes different jobs, skills and people to run the company. We’re creatives, salespeople and techies, analysts, legal professionals, and many more.
   
   
4. Be willing to wear many hats.
   
   We run a lean organization and jobs sometimes go beyond the description. If you have a new idea, speak up and you’ll have the chance to own it. If you see a gap, jump in and help. This is the perfect environment for someone to dig in and make an impact.
   
   
5. Collaborate. Collaborate. Collaborate.
   
   A lone wolf mindset will limit you at T. Rowe Price. We have meetings, and more meetings, and sometimes wonder why they seem to multiply. The reason is we share and explore countless solutions to find the best outcome. No project gets done in a silo and chances are, another group is impacted by your work. Share your ideas; it will increase the chances of them being adopted.

So, there you have it – straight from a tenured associate. Take the next step and find your place at T. Rowe Price.