If you want to move forward in your career or if you are even thinking about going down a completely new route then you may feel stuck in terms of how to start. It’s important to remember that achieving your goals isn’t an overnight job, but if you take your time and plan everything out effectively then you should be able to impress your employers while also being able to take things in a brand-new direction.
Take the Blame
You need to start out by taking the blame for any mistakes that you have made. This may sound counterproductive when you look at your career tree in general, but this is not the case at all. In fact, taking responsibility can be a very valuable quality and it shows that you are not only passionate about your position but also the risks that come with it. The same concept applies to the flip-side of things. You also need to make sure that you are accepting praise when it’s given and that you are also taking credit for any accomplishments that you might have made. This will help you to be recognised much more and it also shows that you genuinely care about your position and the pressures that come with it, whether they’re good or bad.
Increase your Game
You may think that as long as you carry on doing your job, that progression will come naturally. This is not the case at all, and you should never assume. Competition for higher positions can be strong and if you do not make the effort to stand out then you may be undeservingly overlooked. If you want to avoid this then you need to show your passion and your enthusiasm. You also need to make sure that you are always taking on extra work when required. Demonstrating your flexibility is always a good thing. After all, it may be that your employer needs someone who can work outside of their working hours or even that the workplace is busy and requires someone who is able to stay late or even handle the responsibilities of others. If you can, you should also train for a higher position. If you work in the business of law then check out this LLM degree careers guide.
Play Fair
Sure, it can be tempting to engage in workplace politics and this is especially the case if it ends up putting you ahead, but you have to be careful. If you try and play games or even gossip, then you may think that you can increase your workplace position, but this is not true. You may find that you end up hindering yourself as opposed to helping and that word really does get around quickly. Resist the temptation to play dirty, and also try and use your genuine talent to impress those who actually matter.
Speak Up
It doesn’t matter how motivated you are in terms of moving forward with your career because if you don’t make it obvious to your superiors then you may end up having a goal that goes forever unfulfilled. Take your time and chat with your boss about your career progression and also make sure that you find out all the ways that you can develop within your company too. Tell your employer where you’d like to be and how you would like to develop your skills for the future. The more you can do this, the more likely you are to show up on your company’s radar when a promotion comes along.
Stop Settling
You also have to remember that you should never settle. If the company that you are working for doesn’t allow career progression, then this could indicate that it’s time for you to move on. The last thing that you need is to be stuck in a dead-end job, just because you have some small glimmer of hope that things might change for you in the future. If you really want to help yourself then you need to broaden your horizon. See what else is out there because if you don’t then you may end up missing out on an opportunity that you never knew existed. Of course, if you are struggling then it may be worth talking to your boss. When you do, they can then advise you on everything that you need to know about your future within the company. If they can’t give you a solid answer, then this may mean that it’s time for you to move on.
