Have A Long Term Plan
The first most important thing is to have a long term plan. Plans don’t always go the way you envisioned, but by creating one, you can stay focused and pinpoint whatever it is you want to achieve. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years? Think about the answer to this question carefully and come up with a plan.
Take On Additional Responsibilities
See if there are additional responsibilities you can take on within the workplace. This will show your boss that you are more than capable of taking on a higher role. This doesn’t just mean taking responsibility for the positive stuff, either - being a leader means being able to take responsibility when things don’t go exactly to plan.
Stay Up To Date With Industry News
Sign up to letters, papers, emails, and magazines that help you to stay up to date with the news in your industry. Keeping your skills and knowledge fresh is imperative to your growth.
Figure Out What Training You Need To Get To Where You Want To Be
You might come to the conclusion that you need more training to get to where you want to be. There are online courses, night courses, workshops, and other options to help you develop the skills and qualifications that you need. You might even decide that you need to go back to the University of Southern California to develop the skills that you need. You won’t always need to go and earn further qualifications, as there are often many routes you can take to get to where you want to be. However, working your way up may take longer if you don’t want to go back into education.
Add Value To The Company In Any Way You Can
We already discussed taking responsibility, but you also need to try to add value to the company in any way you can. What is unique about you and your skills in particular? How can you provide value to the company and clients every day? Simply providing a great service every day is a way to do this. Genuinely wanting to help people really does make a big difference.
Network Wherever Possible
Don’t be afraid to give out your business card wherever you are, even in the queue waiting for coffee! Speak to people and ask questions. You never know who you might meet or who your services might be of use to. Attend networking events and conferences and prepared to make some awesome connections. Everyday is an opportunity to expand your network.
Work On Improving Your Focus
Are there ways you can improve your focus? Eliminating procrastination can be tough, but it’s possible if you stay mindful and self aware. Avoiding emails and social media at the start of the day can help, as well as using the pomodoro technique. This is a technique where you set a timer and work for around half an hour before taking a short break of 5-10 minutes. You do this maybe three-five times until you take a longer break. This helps you to get more done and stay focused for longer.
Keep Up Your Health
If you don’t look after your health, your focus, mindset, and wellbeing overall can suffer. Exercise, nutrition, and sleeping well can help you to be a better employee, and a business owner if that’s where you want to be eventually. You’ll avoid burn out and make sure you’re always in the best condition to handle whatever work throws at you.
Develop Conflict Management Skills
Conflict is inevitable. Conflict resolution techniques are something anybody can learn, and having them as one of your special skills can help you to develop an even better reputation at work. Nobody likes confrontation, and it’s important to end up with a solution that suits everybody. Knowing why the conflict started and how to prevent it in the future is key. This is a wonderful skill to have and one you’ll probably use more than you realise.
Advancing your career this year is entirely possible with the above advice. Start now and by the end of the year, you never know where you might be!
