Written by Dave Cullen
Achieving a successful and satisfying professional career takes more than just talent and hard work. Many dedicated and highly skilled people find themselves in stagnant and unfulfilling roles and become disillusioned and unmotivated. However by learning a few invaluable techniques and implementing small changes into your daily work life, a static career can be reinvigorated.
Below is our list of five steps to help advance your career within the current company you work for. We recommend you read two of our previous blogs related to this subject: ‘How to write a career path plan’ and ‘The importance of developing your personal brand’.
- Ask for more work: By collaborating on projects outside of your normal remit and helping colleagues with their duties, you are demonstrating a desire to succeed and take on additional responsibility. This will be noticed and interpreted as being a sign that you have a vested interest in your department and the success of the company.
- Become more vocal in team meetings: Take diligent notes and listen carefully to what is being said by others. Prepare notes on the meeting’s agenda and highlight some of your thoughts and ideas. By contributing to the discussion, you will add value to your reputation and be viewed as someone who is sharp, on the ball and engaged in the company.
- Improve your communication skills: Being an approachable, friendly, easy-going, people person will attract the attention of the right people. Developing effective communication techniques goes a long way in earning the respect of your boss. It will also help you to more confidently sell yourself and develop your personal brand.
- Learn to Network: As we discussed in our blog: “How to use networking to find a job”, who you know and who knows you are instrumental factors in helping to discover new opportunities. The more positive professional connections you cultivate, the more your career will benefit. Make an effort to attend industry events, conferences and consider joining volunteer groups and other civic societies.
- Further your education: In the current hypercompetitive job market, upskilling has become a vital tool in career advancement. Continued learning through part-time courses or studying at night, will help you to keep abreast of developments in your industry. Alternatively you may choose to study an entirely new field, perhaps in business or management. Your employer will respect and appreciate your ambition to further your professional development.
For more career and interview advice, check out some of our other blogs: Top 5 common CV mistakes and 5 tips for getting a good reference.
