The lack of career development harms workplace engagement and drives employee attrition. Do not let that happen to you. If you believe you are overqualified for the job and that you deserve a promotion, do not fret. There are steps to take to speed up your career advancement. Here are some of them.
1- Set Career Advancement Goals
Define a career roadmap and identify your plans for the next few years. Break them down into manageable short-term goals. The goals you set need to be relevant, achievable, measurable, and time-bound.
Precisely because of that, you need to support your goals by creating a detailed timeline. It evokes a sense of urgency, helps you set realistic milestones, and enables you to track your achievements easier.
2- Promote Yourself
No matter if you are looking for new professional challenges or you are a freelancer looking for new clients, remember that the competition is fierce. According to BeHiring, companies receive more than 250 resumes for every job position. To set yourself apart from other candidates, you need to build a personal brand. Here is how:
- Improve your presence on LinkedIn.
Start by optimizing your LinkedIn account. Add a professional-looking and high-quality photo, write a catchy summary to get noticed, list your skills and experiences, and seek endorsements from your clients and coworkers.
While adding new connections is fine, you should still consider their relevancy. Becoming friends with the people that have confused LinkedIn with Tinder or Instagram will not help your career.
Finally, position yourself as a leader in your industry by sharing quality content on LinkedIn, as well as providing professional and data-backed comments on other people’s posts.
- Create a personal website.
Unlike your LinkedIn profile that is arranged according to predefined patterns, your website is your chance to unleash your creativity. That is particularly important to freelancers, solopreneurs, and people looking for new professional challenges.
Make sure your website design is simple, intuitive, and engaging. Have a detailed “About Me” page and publish client testimonials and reviews. Provide a portfolio of your most successful projects. You’re your clients. Finally, build a blog section and start creating authentic, helpful, and insightful content.
3- Develop your Skills
Today, you do not need to spend time and money on a formal, university-level degree to acquire new skills. With a wide range of online learning platforms, you can find free or affordable online courses in your industry.
Always do thorough research and choose trusted, accredited, and flexible courses that adapt to your learning pace. Say you are a healthcare professional wanting to learn to provide care in cardiovascular and respiratory emergencies. However, your inflexible schedule does not allow you to attend full-day classes. When looking for an ACLS training program to enroll in, you need to find the one that can adapt to your hectic working hours.
4- Keep Networking
“No man is an island,” they say. Building relationships with industry professionals both inside and outside of your company makes you noticeable.
However, use your networking options wisely. Connect with the people in your sector and related industries that have the potential to become your future clients, coworkers, or employers. Start building relationships with your connections and engage them by asking relevant questions and providing consistent feedback.
Start attending social events to get noticed by the people in your target industry. Face-to-face meetings are more personal. They help you build long-lasting relationships with future coworkers or employers.
5- Ask Managers for Feedback
Studies found that 43% of highly engaged employees receive feedback at least once weekly. Therefore, if you only receive formal performance reports monthly or quarterly, schedule a meeting with your superiors in between reviews. Regular feedback tells you whether you are meeting your managers’ expectations and helps you measure your progress more effectively.
You could also ask your coworkers for feedback. Ask them to honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses to help you improve your workplace performance.
6- Be Open with your Manager
When wanting to speed up your career advancement, share your goals with your manager to put yourself on their radar. Highlight your accomplishments and explaining what qualifies you for a more responsible business role.
Any supportive manager will consider your offer and tell you what career advancement opportunities are available within the company. Above all, they will appreciate your loyalty to the organization and motivation to learn and improve.
Ready to Boost your Career?
Sitting around and waiting for a manager to promote you is not an option. Instead, take the steps mentioned above to achieve your professional objectives faster. For starters, set clear goals, learn a new skill, and connect with the right people to discover new professional opportunities along the way. Most importantly, talk to your manager about your plans and ambitions.
What steps do you take to speed up your career development?
