Most people have ambitions and aspirations for where they’d
like to take their career—and where they’d like their career to take them.
Whether you are a recent college grad gaining real world experience in office
etiquette for the first time, or you have been in your current position for a
while and find your trajectory in the company at somewhat of a standstill,
these 5 tips will help you exude the energy of someone who is ready to take on
more responsibility in their professional life, and aid you in achieving new
career goals.
Always Be Prepared
If your current job or position doesn't seem like it
requires a lot of daily preparation, then you are in the perfect position to
improve your standing in the company. Coming into the office well dressed,
especially if you work in a more casual environment, lets others know that you
take what you do seriously. If you have a deadline or presentation, be the
person who has the work completed ahead of schedule—and then use that extra
time to look for possible improvements. Nothing says “I am valuable to this
company” like someone who is always ready to give their all.
Work on Effective Communication
Communicating with your managers and coworkers in an
effective manner is absolutely essential to furthering your career. Being a
good employee is one thing, but being able to convey new ideas, handling
misunderstandings or issues with ease, and knowing the right questions to ask
puts you on a level above the rest. Bonus: having a good relationship with your
superiors makes it much easier to talk about possible advancements or
promotions. Effective and positive Communication is something that I keep
stressing on.
Take Initiative
It is easy to get caught up in your everyday
responsibilities and do the minimum amount of work that is required, but this
sort of individual does not often earn huge promotions or move upwards in a
company. The successful professional, no matter where they rank in the
corporate food chain, always brings new ideas to the table. Volunteering and
showing that you don’t mind putting in extra effort attracts a lot of positive
attention from higher-ups. Again I would like to add a point here that just
taking on and executing the extra job is just not enough you also need to be
smart enough to look for the right opportunity to bring it to your boss`s
notice. Let me share an example here – working for Boss Z(Z) were two employees
A & B. Both were highly competent, witty, hard working, smart and knew how
to get the work done and also fulfill additional responsibilities. When an
opening for senior level promotion came up Z was extremely confused to promote
one. The job went to B. Simple when both A & B figured out that there was
an opening for a promotion, A thought silently to himself that he has done all
that he can and he needs to get the job. However B went a step ahead and
communicated the desire to get promoted to Z clearly.
Be Consistent
Those who consistently deliver great work and handle
emotions and situations in a stable and even manner are better suited for
upper-level positions in a company. Openly expressing too much anger or
annoyance at a situation or towards those you work with will gain you a
reputation for handling things poorly. Likewise, if you are too easy-going or
bring too much of your personal life to work, you may have difficulty gaining
respect in the office.
Define Personal Goals
While you may not know exactly where you’d like your career
to take you, it is important to strategize to a certain degree. Could you
benefit from moving to a different department in the company for the same
pay—something commonly referred to as a “lateral move’’? What positions would
you ideally want to work towards, and what skills can you be working on right
now in order to strengthen your chances of being promoted? Enrolling in
programs that provide leadership training for motivated professionals will help
you determine—and improve upon— areas where certain necessary skills are
lacking. Better still get yourself a Career Coach who will help you analyze
your strength and weaknesses and motivate you to reach and climb the success
ladder!
