Getting ahead in your career path, be it at your current employer or at a new job, can be a challenge to everyone. These focus points can help make sure you hit your career targets.
1. Create opportunities and take initiatives
Taking initiative at work is often touted as an important career tip. However, few people are able to build a reputation around it.
In today’s competitive work environment, the ability to take the initiative and suggest new ideas is critical in setting you apart from your peers.
Make sure you always take some time to look at all aspects of the business to identify areas that have been forgotten or can be improved.
Sharing these ideas up with your boss and your team will showcase your strengths in critical thinking and business partnering, helping you build a reputation in your career that will put you ahead of the pack.
2. Never stop learning
Take the time to continue your own education; whether it is structured research into a topic you are interested in, online courses to upskill or reskill, or honing your business knowledge with part-time courses or executive education.
Maintaining a keen learning attitude throughout your career journey will help you keep your mind sharp and stay up to date with current trends.
You never know when you can drop some of that newly acquired knowledge in a meeting and impress someone!
3. Build your professional network
Always have a pack of business cards ready to go. Ensure that you continue to build a strong professional network of contacts within and outside of your industry.
Your business and social connections will connect you to new opportunities and provide you with the ability to reach out to the right people quickly for additional resources and market intelligence.
4. Find a mentor
Go out of your way to find a mentor who you admire and look up to. Being able to learn from their experience will not only help give you useful insights and unbiased advice but also warn you of potential challenges you may face.
They may also help you find new job opportunities through their own network.
5. Make a career plan
You’ll often hear the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” during job interviews.
Having a general idea of what you may be doing in the long term may not be the best way to help you advance your career as changes are expected during the journey.
Take time to think about what you really want in your life and career, and implement a plan to achieve this over several years.
Read More: 5 Questions to Help You Identify Areas for Upskilling
Make sure you set milestone markers to gauge your progress. This will ensure you’re always improving and heading towards your career goals while remaining flexible enough to tweak your game plan.
BONUS: Aim for work-life balance
Following these tips will help you get your career progression going, but make sure you don’t forget to allocate time for family and friends as well as time off to rest.
Advancing your career may be a top priority, but it should never be at the detriment of your own health.
This article is contributed by Randstad Singapore.
