You are the only one responsible for your career. When it comes to career building, it is normally tiny things over a period that add up to the success you attain. Making small improvements on a regular basis will help you achieve career goals effectively. There are a lot of things you can do to proactively advance your career.
Whether you are currently doing a job or searching for an ideal position, below are important things you can do this year to improve your career.
1. Set Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Take time once a month to come up with your job-related goal, performance indicators, and things that need to be improved. This will help you become productive and efficient. Set SMART goals to make them realistic and measurable. Right after setting goals, create a plan containing steps you will take to reach your chosen career goals. Break your bigger career goals into smaller ones so you can stay on right track and end up every month with something to celebrate. Setting up key performance indicators helps you a lot in performance tracking and measuring so you can make necessary adjustments when needed.
2. Identify Work Essentials
Most of us think that the ones who work harder are the ones that are successful. No doubt working hard is a key element to ultimate success but working smarter can help you get more done in less time even without spending more resources. Working smart is all about finding the ways to accomplish the most important things within your job faster than ever before. So, identify your work essentials that are important for both inside and outside associates and get them done at first by using available resources. In this way, you will be able to utilize resources for things that are most important for your company.
3. Take Some TAFE Courses
Many people think that earning a college diploma or degree is the end of education. But this is not. There are a lot of things you can learn to improve your career. Careerprogress is an online learning platform with lots of TAFE courses you can take to improve your professional skills in a particular field or industry. Taking appropriate TAFE (technical and further education) courses can help you stand out from applicants when it comes to applying for a dream job. Talk with your boss, manager or career coach and ask what type of courses or skills will make career advancement easier and efficient for you. This is the best way to learn some extra skills in your industry to stand out and avail more career opportunities.
4. Learn a Second Language
Anyone can learn a second language. Learning another in-demand language can open up endless opportunities to work with multinational companies. This also gives you an edge when you are seeking a job in another country. There are lots of online language learning courses you can take to become a master in another language for better career development.
5. Find a Mentor
Another best career improvement tip is to find someone who has been in the industry for years and is happy to pass along career advice. Mentors are advisors who help you choose the right career path and help you advance by taking your skills and expertise into consideration. They are experienced to help turn your ideas into reality. A mentor helps you set SMART career goals and identify the best ways to reach those goals without getting out of track. So, find a mentor you can trust and ask for his/her professional advice to make career advancement easier and effective.
6. Stretch Yourself
Living within a comfort zone is one thing that keeps us from growing. Going beyond your limits and taking calculated risks is one of the best ways to become a proficient professional. In order to improve your career, you must stretch yourself beyond areas of expertise. Do something that you never did before. Learn a new skill that helps you do your job efficiently and do some extra every day to become more productive. Learn soft skills like public speaking, networking and team building to become a great human along with being a successful professional.
7. Get Feedback
Since self-assessment is one of the key elements of career advancement, you should get feedback from your peers and higher authorities whenever possible. Ask your fellows about the work well done and areas you can improve to stand out in the next meeting or project. Sincere feedback from others can help you a lot to improve and perform better in the future. Don’t wait for the annual assessment program and get into the habit of asking for feedback every day, after each meeting or after completing an assigned job.
8. Update Your Resume
You have worked a lot for hard and soft skills to improve your career. Now it is time to give your resume a fresh and updated look. Take some time to update your resume with newly learned skills and expertise. According to experts, having an updated resume is a great idea to hunt for opportunities whenever they arise. Since your resume is a personal marketing tool for you, keep it up to date with past work experiences and projects so it can grab the attention of potential employers instantly.
9. Start a Blog
In this digital world, creating a blog is one of the best ways to share industry knowledge and updates while connecting with the new people in your field. Continuously updating your blog with current industry trends and news also makes you an authority and thought leader. You can also blog about your recent achievements and accomplishments in the field. You can also use your blog as a source of information and ideas for beginners who are looking to improve careers in the same industry.
Conclusion
Along with following the above mentioned tips to improve your career, always be open to connecting with new people and open to new career opportunities. Building connections with like-minded people helps a lot in finding new ways to advance your career and become proficient in your job.
