5 ways to boost your career and get to where you need to be

All of us want to progress in our careers don’t we? It is unlikely that you will be happy to sit in the same role, perhaps even in the same company, on the same pay year after year.

But that said, you can’t expect to climb the rungs of the career ladder without some extra effort and initiative on your part. This means, among other things, to always be learning new skills and challenging yourself.

So, how are you going to boost your career and get yourself to where you need to be?

• Invest in training

You may have built up experience but you are never too old or too experienced to learn. This could be refreshing skills you already have or learning new ones. In this fast paced world, where technology is ever changing, it is important to keep up or risk falling behind.

 Your course may be online and therefore can easily be completed from the comfort of your own home, or it could take place in a classroom with like-minded people who you can network with at the same time.

• Listen to a motivational speaker

Start your day the right way and listen to a motivational speaker while you are getting ready for work. You could watch a Ted Talk while eating your breakfast, or listen to the likes of Les Brown on YouTube while you are getting dressed.

You might want to take this a bit further and attend an event where a motivational speaker will be present. Or, take the initiative and organise an event yourself – it is easy to book a relevant speaker through Speakers Corner, they will inspire you and you will impress the boss – bonus!

• Ask the right questions

How can you grow and progress in your role if you don’t know how? So, don’t be afraid to sit down with your manager and just ask. What am I doing well? What could I do better? What could I do more of in order to progress? This will give you a chance to tell them how you feel, understand their thoughts and make a plan of action to help you move forward.

• Make a five-year plan

They say that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down. So, start by doing just this –writing down where you want to be and the career goals you would like to have achieved within the next five years.

Next, write down what you can be doing now in order to start working towards your goals – this might include speaking to your boss, looking for the most relevant training or listening to a motivational speaker to inspire you each day.

Make sure you go back to this plan regularly and evaluate what is working and what isn’t.  

• Read up on and network in your industry

Firstly, reading up on your industry will help you to grow your authority on the subject. Likewise, it’s not always what you know, but who you know – so attend relevant events and network. You never know, that person you are talking to over a canapé could offer you your next big career break. 

Working your way up the career ladder isn’t impossible, you just need to be motivated to work for it and persevere. Good luck!    

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