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You have already done the hard part in finding a career that you love. You love what you do and have been able to keep your mind active and healthy within it. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to remain in the same position forever. Whilst some careers and employees offer clear stepping stones on the path to progression, others do not and you need to drive your career forward yourself.
If you are unsure of what support is available within your company, the best place to start is with an honest conversation with your boss about your ambitions and if and how they can support getting you there. You can also help move your career forward by taking these additional steps.
Make Yourself Seen And Network
The saying is ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know’. By getting to know the right people and impressing them with your work, you are more likely to be at the forefront of their minds when they are considering promoting. Remember people are always watching, so take the time and invest the effort to build a good strong network.
Along with networking within the office, also spend the time researching networking events and attending. Building up an external network is just as important, especially if you need to move companies to allow you to reach your goal position. The use of social media is also a great way to use your platform to engage and network. Just remember to keep your content appropriate. By reaching out and building this network you will be able to gain valuable information and build relationships that can help you move forward.
Better Yourself
Set yourself the personal goal to be the best and always strive to become better. There are many ways you can work to better yourself within your career, this could be through returning to education and gaining additional qualifications in your field. There are many options and whatever your career there will be courses to help from gaining a masters in nursing online to getting qualifications in communication skills, IT, or even social media. By understanding what you need you will be able to find a form of education that will work for you, whether that be full-time studying, or online or evening classes.
Developing a new skill set adds to how valuable you are and allows you to be the best. Remember the quality of what you do is paramount and needs to remain at the forefront of any action. By spending the time to increase your knowledge allows you to become an expert in that field and become the go-to person. Being that valuable in the office will support you going forward when it comes to promotions and moving up the career ladder.
When it comes to better yourself, it doesn’t solely revolve around education. You need to ensure that you are also focusing on yourself and how you are perceived. You could be the most knowledgeable person in your field but if you are lacking social skills or are not approachable this could still hinder you from moving upwards. Try and take an honest review of yourself and if needed work on any areas. There are many resources available to help whether that be working on assertiveness, your tone through to body language.
Be Brave And Take The Risks
Having confidence in yourself and your capabilities needs to be the driving force encouraging you to continue moving through the rankings. Opportunities don’t just hand themself to you, you need to seize the chances there and use your confidence to ask for new jobs and ask for promotions. You will never know the outcome unless you ask.
Don’t let fear hold you back, it’s okay to mistakes when moving forward, as long as you learn from them, this will help you progress further. Use your confidence to try something new or take a side step, this can allow you the chance to see a different perspective and offer a new different perspective and insight.
And, as opportunities do not just land on your lap, be brave and apply for roles you are ready to move into. Whether this is internal or external, get your interest known. Review the specifications, look at the skills and attributes you have, and sell yourself and how you are the perfect fit going forward to be offered the position. Make sure that your passion for the role shines through and that it is clear how much you want the role.
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