You can’t always wait for an opportunity to find you. Building a career means creating your own chances for advancement. That way, you can break out of your daily routine and take your professional development to the next level.
Timing makes a difference. Research has shown that you’re mostly likely to get a promotion in your third year at an employer. But wait too long and you could miss your shot. The same data suggested that the 10-year mark at a company saw the likelihood of advancement shrink dramatically.
The lesson? Don’t wait until it’s too late. Find ways to promote yourself and accelerate your career. Here’s how:
Five Tips to Promote Yourself
Keep Looking for Opportunities
Jobs can become a treadmill. Or a cul-de-sac. Pick your metaphor. Point is: your day-to-day routine can become all-consuming, leaving you little time for long-term career advancement.
Don’t let this happen. Make time to search for your next big step forward.
Ideally, this would be within your current organization. Seek out advancement opportunities and discuss the possibilities with your managers.
However, you might not have ample chances to achieve better positions within your current company. If not, don’t be afraid to look elsewhere.
Know What Skills Employers Want (and What They Will Pay For)
Getting an MFA in contemporary fiction probably won’t lead to a salary boost if you’re building a career in finance. To achieve long-term success, you need to keep building your skill base. However, you have to add the right skills.
Research the abilities employers in your industry want most. Take special note of the resume line-items that will make it easier for you to get hired and will lead to higher salaries. Then, take the steps necessary to add these capabilities.
Get Better at Networking
Networking represents a pivotal skill for driving your career forward. One study found that 85% of jobs were found through networking. Unless you want to fight for those other 15%, you’ll need to spin a wider web of connections.
How do you do that? Here’s a few steps you can take:
- Introduce yourself…to everybody
- Don’t be shy about asking for contact info
- Follow up with contacts in your network
- Attend conferences and industry events
Do Your Job Well (Even When You Don’t Feel Inspired)
Yes, getting ahead means looking to the future. But don’t ignore the present. Any prospective employer will want to see a proven track record of success. To build that up, you need to concentrate on your current tasks.
Make sure you’re excelling at your current position. This will set the stage for potential promotions within your immediate employer. At the same time, you’ll build a deep set of experiences that can propel you to even better opportunities down the road.
Make Learning an Obsession
Building a career involves stacking knowledge and experience. When you look at the job posting for a high-paying position, you want to be able to say “yes” to every qualification and to every area of expertise.
This deep well of information takes time to develop. You have to stay dedicated to the process. As a result, it’s crucial to make learning a lifelong obsession. Continue to expand your skillset, even while you hold a full-time job.
Ready to Take the Next Step? Hiregy Can Help!
Want the perfect launching pad for your next career advancement? A top staffing firm, like Hiregy, can point you in the right direction. You’ll find the perfect position to set up your future.
Contact Hiregy today to learn more.
