- Have A Goal Set Up
It’s important to set yourself a five year plan and have an ultimate goal of where you hope to end up. Of course, five years is a long time, and even if your plans change, at least you have given yourself a head start.
A good example of setting goals and moving forward means that if an opportunity arises at your workplace to volunteer for something, raise your hand! If you want to become a marketer, why not work on their next campaign? It’s also important to improve your skills along the way, so make it a point to take a few courses to freshen your perspective.
- Know Your Weak Points
Remain honest about your abilities and understand your own weak points. Chances are, if you’re aware of them, other people are too! Likewise, also know what you’re particularly good at and stretch your wings to soar at your workplace. If an opportunity arises for you to work on a new project, you may wish to volunteer and offer your own input. However, know what it takes to finish the project in terms of skills and commitment.
You may not believe you have any weak points, however, everyone has them. Ask for the opinions of your co-workers or boss and work to address these weaknesses.
See also: Top Ten Career Tips For Engineers
- Try New Things
It’s important to remain well-rounded in any industry, but this is especially the case in marketing. Try spending a year in a different department to gain new skills and understanding for furthering your career growth. Don’t forget, the more experiences you gather, the better your chances are of getting promoted to work on a more important project.
Redline advises that even if you don’t believe the small step you’re about to take will make a difference- think again! Surprise yourself and your boss by your ability to work in another department and really deliver. This will lend itself to a better promotion and future for you.
- Go The Extra Mile
Lateral moves within your organization aren’t always possible, however, it is possible for you to go the extra mile. Do this by raising your hand and volunteering for new work assignments. This will help you flex your muscles and allow you to work with people you would never normally come into contact with. Companies are more likely to consider you a candidate for a promotion if you’re willing to always put in the extra effort and go the extra mile. If you make a contribution, especially a positive one, it will get recognized by your company.
It is often hard to put yourself out there and raise your hand to volunteer yourself for an unknown project. However, it is these small leaps of faith that you take that will really make you an ideal employee. You will show that you can handle pressure and work under certain stressful conditions while delivering the goods and improve yourself. This means that your boss can count on you for the future and beyond!
See also: A Guide To Building A Successful Career As A Civil Engineer
- Network As Much As You Can
Career development isn’t just about honing the right skills, but knowing the right people to network yourself with in order to help advocate for your goals. Networking has many forms, and whether you choose to do it internally or externally, these people will really help you down the line. The truth is, it is virtually impossible to leverage your career without partaking in some form of networking. Meanwhile, if your parents can help you pave your way, it certainly helps, but it is absolutely possible to do it all on your own! It’s even possible if no one in your family works in the same industry as you.
Perhaps the most important piece of advice anyone can give you with networking is this: don’t rush into asking for favors. When you meet someone who can potentially further your career, cultivate your relationship first and get dialogue moving between the two of you. If they’re having problems in their life, offer to help them. Once you have built a mutual relationship, you can call in that favor whenever it’s appropriate.
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