It goes with out saying that in today’s world the job market is very competitive. Once you have a new job or your first job out of college or grad school the next question how do I take my career to the next level. Today Peter Minkoff is sharing career advice and his five to take your career to the next level.
Are you that newbie in the office that wants to go far but has no idea how? Do you want to transition from nobody to somebody in the shortest period of time? That’s a great career goal to have, but not an easy one to reach. Here are a few things you can do to take your career to the next level quickly and easily.
Be The Part Of The Solution
No good manager will sacrifice their time and effort on carrying dead wood. So, in order to show your worth, you need to step up and add something valuable to the team. Don’t just wait until someone orders you to act—be proactive and take initiative. Volunteer for the project, bring new ideas on how to impress customers and figure out a new way of doing business that will make your work smarter. Understand the direction of your business, determine what needs to be done and just go and do it. People from management love when workers anticipate tasks and problems and stay one step ahead. Long story short, become a go-to person for important assignments and you’ll certainly get that promotion in no time.
Invest In Yourself
If you finished college, if you read a book about your industry, if you’ve taken an e-course or a webinar, you’ve invested in your future. This is something no one else can do for you and you have to consciously make a decision to work on your betterment. No matter how good you are at your work, there are always new things you can learn, new skills you can perfect and new projects to start. You need to show 100% effort otherwise you won’t see any results. But, if you do your best, you’re making sure you’re being the best employee you can be and your boss will appreciate that.
Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Live in your little bubble of safety is comfortable, but true life begins way outside of your comfort zone and so does your career. However, if you always had issues to put yourself out there, it’s more than understandable that you can’t just change your personality completely overnight. If you’re introverted and suffer from anxiety, there are ways you can leave your comfort zone in a safe and controlled way. You can make small efforts to expand your horizons and eventually cross the boundary of your comfort zone. For instance, an expat English teacher might benefit from taking a teaching job at centers like Monkey Tree in Hong Kong where you can get the chance to work with students who are outside of your usual age or knowledge level. Having to overcome language barriers and find new and creative solutions to your problems will do wonders for your self-esteem. Comfort zones are safe, but they are also dead ends when it comes to your career.
Build Trust
When you commit to something, do you fulfill your tasks? Do you show up to meetings? Do you deliver projects on time and on budget? Do you have a good reputation and can people count on you? The answer to these has to be YES every time! If you’re trustworthy, you’ll get more important projects that will advance your career.
Make Some Connections
While it’s best to keep your career in your own hands, people are social animals. We rely on other humans to form connections, build new relationships and open ourselves to new opportunities. Honestly, if we didn’t network as a species, our entire civilization would fall apart. So, don’t think you’re putting your future in someone else’s hands—you’re just making your voice heard and your face known. As long as networking is genuine and honest, there’s nothing sleazy about it. Your connections must come from a place of truth and they will last. For instance, if you want to make a connection with someone, try saying something like “Hey, the way you handled X was great” or “I really like your opinion on X” or “I think we’re both interested in X, let’s try to figure it out”. Star from something genuine and soon you’ll have a sizable network of connections that will possibly be very beneficial to your career.
These five ways will certainly put you on your boss’ map and allow you to advance in your career. As long as you got that fire in you and employ these tips, that promotion will be ready for the taking.
