Gaining the recognition and accolades you deserve in the workplace isn’t always a linear journey. It’s more of a winding path that demands creativity, problem-solving, and risk-taking. Try these four simple tips to get ahead in your career and make the progress you know you deserve.
Define Your Dream
Your current workplace position isn’t necessarily your ideal workplace position. Do the responsibilities of your position excite and challenge you? Do they give you a sense of meaning and fulfillment? If not, consider what factors you’d change if you could. This may help you unravel your true purpose, whether it’s within your current organization or in an entirely different industry.
Demonstrate What You Deserve
It’s one thing to ask for a raise or promotion, but it’s another thing to demonstrate exactly why you deserve it. Your superiors are far more likely to give your request consideration when you back it up with proof.
You can apply this idea to both your job search and on-the-job advancement alike. As a job-seeker, set yourself apart from other applicants and secure your place at the interview table by coming prepared with a case study that outlines successful projects and initiatives you orchestrated in the past.
As an employee, don’t just check items off your to-do list; excel beyond expectations to prove you’re worth the advancements you seek:
- Volunteer for the projects and tasks that nobody else wants
- Pursue available avenues of professional development and training
- Join a professional association
- Ask for feedback to better understand your strengths and weaknesses
Do Something Scary
This doesn’t mean you should bet your savings account on a football game or sneak into your manager’s office. Take calculated, productive risks that serve the purpose of helping you get ahead.
The risk you take doesn’t have to be huge to make a huge impact. It can be as small as speaking up at a meeting for the first time. Making your voice heard will get you more attention and give your boss insight into your thought process.
You can also consider these small but powerful calculated risks:
- Ask for new responsibilities
- Voice your need for support
- Accept responsibilities out of your comfort zone
Of course, there are also major risks to take if the time is right:
- Request a salary increase
- Shadow a local professional in an industry that appeals to you
- Take on side gigs to make extra pocket money or channel a passion
A little bit of fear is healthy: It keeps you on your toes and drives you to be the best version of yourself.
Be Prepared For Everything
You’re talented, intelligent, and driven. You don’t work so hard just to get stuck in a stagnant and unfulfilling career. But, by preparing yourself for any potential workplace situation, you can adapt to changes with flexibility and grace. Whether you get a new boss every quarter or your department is eliminated and blended into another, you’ll be ready to take on new challenges and use them to your advantage.
And yes, you can do this without being a superhero. Just connect with your core strengths and continue to develop new skills that help you in various business functions and responsibilities. The better that you can roll with the punches and turn challenges into stepping stones, the more likely you are to succeed.
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