Are you looking to take your career to the next level? There comes a time where you will feel that you have accomplished everything that you can in your existing role, and you will be ready to take the next step, which should help you to secure more money and greater responsibilities. It is not always easy to take this next step, and it might be competitive, but there are a number of different ways that you can stand out from the crowd and find the right position. So, if you feel that you are ready for the next stage in your career, then here are a few helpful pieces of advice to keep in mind.
Speak To Your Boss
First, it is always a good idea to communicate with your boss to let them know that you want to take the next step. It can be hard to know otherwise, and they might assume that you are content in your existing role, but letting them know that you want to take the next step will alert them, and they could also help to provide advice on what you need to be able to do this.
Make Sure That You Are Performing To A High Standard
You cannot expect to reach the next level in your career if you are not putting in the work. You need to be giving 100% each and every day so that you are meeting your targets, excelling in your role, and proving yourself as a valuable asset to the company.
Show Team & Leadership Skills
In addition to performing to a high standard, it is also important that you show that you can both work as part of a team while also possessing leadership skills. The people that climb the ladder and reach the top will possess both skills and understand that the best employees are the ones that lift those around them and help the business to achieve its goals no matter what part they play in it.
Do Not Shy Away From Looking Elsewhere
It certainly is easiest to progress within one company, but this is not always possible, and sometimes you will have to move if you want to climb the ladder. This can be difficult, especially if you have become attached to the business and your colleagues, but often you will find that a move is the best way to progress your career and a fresh start can be exciting.
Network
Following this, you should also be networking at every opportunity, both online and in person. Networking is how you increase people’s awareness about your capabilities, forge new connections, and open new doors. Even if you meet somebody who is not able to help you now, they may be able to down the line or know somebody that could give you a new opportunity so you should always be looking to network.
Improve Professionalism
It is also important to make sure that you present yourself appropriately, whether you are looking for a move within your company or at a new one. This means that you need to be highly professional at all times, which will involve taking pride in your appearance and making sure that you know how to make a good first impression.
Earn A Respected Qualification
Bolstering your resume with a new qualification is also a smart way to stand out from the crowd, develop new skills, and show your commitment to your work. Ideally, this will be from a respected institution which will really help you to stand out, such as the Ivy League universities UK has to offer in the form of the highly respected Russell Group Universities. In many cases, qualifications will be required to secure a role, but even if it is not, you might want to think about a course to make your application stand out.
Stay Current
You also need to stay current in your industry as things can change very quickly. In addition to ensuring that you can excel in your role, being aware of the latest developments, trends, and challenges also shows your commitment and intelligence. It will depend on the industry that you work in, but you can usually stay current by reading information online, listening to podcasts, following key figures on social media, and be attending industry events.
It is an exciting time when you start to look at taking the next step in your career, but it is also challenging; the above advice will hopefully help you to achieve your goals and advance your career.
