Here Are Four Tips That Can Help You Reach the Next Level in Your Career
The process of scaling your career can be a confusing transition for most professionals. The way you deal with the unforeseen challenges may mean the difference. So, how can you smoothly achieve a higher corporate position? As with other life’s challenges, it requires proper planning and critical thinking. Below are some of the top 4 tips we gathered from the experts.
1. Communicate Effectively with Superiors
Maintain clear channels with your manager is critical, so long as you are communicating the right information. One way to do that is to inform your superior of your future career goals. Besides, it is their role to create programs that offer career development programs. When articulating your needs, do not get too selfish or self-absorbed. What you want is to speak and inform of ways that can make the organization grow.
“Think of it as a partnership. How are you going to help the company and vice versa? It also helps to express an interest to learn and progress,’ said Mary Kruger, a career professional at MLK Coaching.
2. Assume More Job Responsibilities
The more you do at work, the more experience you gain to boost your career. Not only does it help to broaden your understanding of the job, but also what it takes to move to the next level. Hence, ask your manager to add you more work or responsibility. When you undertake a more challenging project and succeed at it, the more you’ll linger in your managers’ minds when considering who to promote.
According to Kruger, “You’ll never advance your career if you behave like the typical 8-5 employee. Try arriving at work at 7 am and leave at 6 pm. It shows that you can go the extra mile to achieve your dreams while helping the firm reach its goals.
3. Negotiate Your Pay
The best time to negotiate your salary is when you are undergoing the recruitmwent process, or when you start serving a particular company. Unfortunately, many professionals don’t take advantage of that. “It’s absurd how much money experts leave on the table, simply because they don’t ask,” says Kruger. “The only time you can gain a huge raise is when you’re assuming a new office.”
Suppose you’ve let that chance pass once, no need to worry. You can still make some financial recoveries along the way. Another chance to negotiate your salary is when you have completed your employee probation. “A lot of preparation is required at this stage because you want to prove to the employer that you are worthy of the pay raise. Therefore, prepare a list of your achievements during the short time you’ve served the company. It justifies your plea for a raise,” Kruger says.
4. Know When to Move On
To advance your profession, you need to undergo a learning curve. You can only do that by taking up a challenging job. Sticking to your current position brings monotony of a predictable work schedule, which blocks your learning curve.
Kruger advises, “The most significant thing is to know when to let go of your losses and look for a higher challenge. The most common mistake people make is remaining in a company that doesn’t provide room for improvement, yet they opt to serve it.” You need to know the circumstances that call for you to move on. One of the signs is when you are barely involved in your department’s decision-making processes.