The friends you make early in your career can propel you to new heights of success—but only if they’re chosen wisely. Iconic companions like Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King have long credited each other as instrumental to their achievements, confiding in each other across five decades of job and life experience. Former first lady Michelle Obama is also adamant about the power of relationships—and believes the people you hold dearest even outrank a dream job.
“The thing that I want the listeners to know, young women, is that the value of cultivating friendships is important,” Obama said recently on the Call Her Daddy podcast. “It’s as important as the degree that you got in college; it’s as important as the job title and the salary.”
