Whether you’re getting ready to change jobs, looking for a new role, preparing for a promotion, or even just starting out, it’s good to a have plan for your career. A stagnant career almost takes the same form as a stagnant business. It loses value, meaning, and drops in quality, becoming at risk for failure, or in this case, losing a job or disinterest in a job. Your career path, while it may go through ups and downs and loops and twists, should have an upward trajectory. Including growth strategies in your career planning can promote a strong and successful career. Check out these five professional growth strategies to advance your career.
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Know Where You Want to Go
Before you can start anything on Professional Growth Strategies, it is imperative to know where you want to go, even if you don’t know how you’ll get there. You must have the vision for it to write out the plan. If you don’t know what your career goals are, you wind up anywhere on the professional periphery.
Sit down and identify where you want to go. Even if you only have a general idea, write it down, the dynamics, the responsibilities, and expectations. By beginning to articulate it, you can refine your career goals and expectations.
Make a Plan to Grown From where You Are
Although it is great to think about your career as your future self, it is vital to not forget where you are in the present moment. Your career advancement involves moving from your current position to the desired future one. If you do not have a good understanding of your current position, you won’t be able to formulate an effective plan to move forward.
Take an account of where you are and make a plan. You should assess what you need to grow by taking in performance reviews and prerequisites for future positions. Once you have a good assessment of your present position, draft your plan.
Your plan should include anything you think you will need to reach your career goals. It should take you to step by step, creating a path directed by clear goals and expectations. It may be a great idea to write this plan out by hand, use a digital planner, or utilize project and planning software.
Keep in mind, that your plan is not infallible and might change– that is perfectly okay. Your plan will grow and change, just as you will as you advance your career. Along the way monitor your performance, track your growth, expand your knowledge, and stay up-to-date on your industry.
Seek Out a Mentor
There’s only so much growing you can do on your own. You’ll come to a point in your professional career where the guidance, insight, and advice of an expert will be needed and you should welcome the support. A mentor is not there to helicopter over you or restrict you but to help you expand your thinking, learn new skills, transition professionally, and ultimately grow.
Having a mentor is not just reserved for entry-level positions. When it comes to the impact of mentorship, close to 75 percent of executives attest to mentorship playing a critical role in their career advancement. You can benefit from a mentor at whatever stage or position you’re at in your career.
Consider finding yourself a mentor. Keep in mind your industry, your growth plan, and desired results when seeking out a mentor. Not every mentor is a good mentor for everyone. It is important to find a mentor that is well-suited for guiding you on your career path.
Make Quality Over Quantity a Priority
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A higher position does come with more work and requires more effort to obtain, but you don’t want to get caught in the trap of busy work, thinking you’ll advance when, in reality, you’re just burying yourself under paperwork.
Growing in your career isn’t just about taking on more busy work. It’s not the amount of time worked that is of value, but the quality of work. Maintain a strong work ethic and be proficient and efficient in what you do.
In the professional world, it’s the quality of results that matter. Look at building a strong portfolio of work that executive resume writers can highlight to demonstrate your capabilities.
Foster Your Network
Did you know that about 70 to 80 percent of job openings are filled through networking? In professional circles, you will hear time and time again that your network is your net worth. Your network is a valuable asset when it comes to advancing your career. In fact, it is one of the easiest ways to grow professionally, if you have fostered your network.
It is necessary to build, be attentive to, and sustain your network. In your network, you might find that next promotion, that next job move, a new professional training, a mentor, and so on. Your network has the potential to contain everything you need to grow.
While looking at growth strategies to advance your career, working with the people around you and your environment may be the best thing. Simple interpersonal interactions can have a significant impact on propelling you forward in your career.
It is imperative to build your network. Hard work is necessary, but establishing, fostering, and bolstering your professional network can be one of your strongest professional growth strategies. A large number of jobs and professional opportunities are not even listed publicly. This “in” is only possible through the network.
So, take time to make an effort in growing, strengthening, and solidifying your network. Don’t just pass out your business card and leave it at that. Actually, keep in touch with other professionals you meet. Stay connected with people in your industry and organization. Be a good contact, so people don’t forget you and are more likely to help you.
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Career advancement sets you up for numerous advantages such as increased salary, benefits, and industry authority. Professional growth promotes new skills and experiences that can be used on the job and support new opportunities.
Utilize professional growth strategies to help you advance your career. You can identify where you want to go, make a plan to meet your career goals, find a mentor, progress in quality work, and embrace your network. Your ambition, drive, and determination in committing to your career growth will surely be a positive investment.
