By Tayla Reilly, Tender Specialist, Brisbane.

Tendering is a field many people “fall into”; that wasn’t the case for me.

When researching potential careers while studying creative writing at university, I found tendering. It aligned with what I was looking for in a career, but tendering isn’t a widely known profession and the information available didn’t get into the nitty-gritty of tendering.

Now as a Tender Specialist, I know what it’s really like.

Reflecting on my career as a young professional in a field that few people have heard of or understand, there’s 3 lessons I’ve learnt that standout:

The little things count

The devil’s in the detail. Interruptions and delays – even small ones – affect the tender process. Planning effectively will allow you to build in time, contingencies, and ensure you have all the required resources to solve problems before they happen.

Planning will also ensure there’s enough time at the end of the bid for spelling, grammar and formatting checks to make your documents shine. The free time created by planning can then be spent working on your tender instead of chasing contact details or solving IT issues.

Relationships are at the heart of it all

A quick hello, remembering a personal detail about someone, or a 5 minute coffee break while the deadline draws near: the little things count even more when it comes to building relationships.

Tendering relies on teamwork. At the height of bid related tension with deadlines closing in, a little kindness and understanding goes a long way. With a little encouragement, personalisation, and friendliness, developing a culture that puts people first will keep your team motivated and engaged, so they don’t sweat the small stuff.

Teamwork doesn’t just count while you’re writing the bid. If your reputation as a workplace with great teamwork proceeds you, why would your client pass up the opportunity to work with you?

Ask for help (and accept help when it’s offered!)

Whether it’s subject matter or process, there’s always something new to learn in this field. As consultants, we’re introduced to new topics constantly. We’re also introduced to people who are experts in their fields but have never tendered before.

As a perfectionist, I wish I knew everything about everything. And as I strive to take on that impossible task, I know I need to ask the people around me for help because no one has all the answers. I’m lucky to have kind, experienced and knowledgeable people at Tender Plus to turn to at any time.

No matter what experience you have, ask for help when you need it, and more importantly, accept help when its offered!

2023 was a year of growth for me, both professionally and personally. I took on new subject matter and collaborated with great clients on innovative projects, all while growing my skills alongside the best team. Taking these lessons into the new year, I’m excited to see what 2024 brings!