Guest Contribution by Dan Cormac
Often a job is simply a stepping stone towards a higher goal, such as promotion to your dream position or partnership within a business. Whatever your specific career goals, it can sometimes feel impossible to make enough of a chance to see yourself advancing.
Here are a few simple tips to make you more open to career advancement opportunities:
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Work Hard in Your Current Position
You aren’t going to be offered a promotion at your current job if you don’t deserve it. Listen to feedback and learn from your mistakes in order to become the best person for the role you are in right now. Once you have proven yourself to be capable of more, let your employer know that you are seeking advancement opportunities. You’ll be chosen over your less passionate colleagues. Sometimes people fear that becoming too adept at their current level will make their employer want to keep them there as they might be too valuable to move up the chain. However, express to your manager that you can offer more to the business from a higher position when the chance at promotion comes up.
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Go on Plenty of Training Courses
After years in the same job, it can feel pointless to attend the various training sessions and extra-curricular courses offered by your employer. While some may be mandatory, it is useful to attend those that aren’t. You’ll learn new skills that will make you a more valuable team member and therefore more likely to be picked for promotion. Even if you don’t plan to stay within the company, these skills will help you in your next job hunt.
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Revisit Education
If you need a new qualification to get that dream role, consider going back to education temporarily. For example, a bachelor of architecture, a course on Mandarin or a certificate in food preparation might be just what someone needs in order to take the next step in their career.
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Network Constantly
Well, not constantly, of course. You aren’t obliged to mingle with professionals in your field during every moment of your leisure time, but communicating with everyone you meet in such a way that you leave them with a positive impression of you is vital for career progression. That man who visited the office last week might not have seemed important, but maybe he was the new CEO. Treat everyone with respect, patience, and kindness – including yourself.
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Know When to Jump Ship
The best time to look for a new job is while you are employed. Don’t inform your employer of your decision to leave until you have secured that next position. Think of your career as a ladder; are you sure you want to advance up your current one and climb to a place you didn’t want to be? You can switch ladders and start from a new rung leading you to a more suitable destination. Perhaps the reason you have been finding it difficult to advance is that your heart isn’t in your current role. Switch it up – you never know how far it’ll take you.
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