Furthering your career isn’t just great for your bank account; it’s great for the mind as the progress makes you feel good. People can be scared of change, but they also suffer when they become stagnant. You need to advance in some way or another. For some, progress might be found in their personal lives. For those with set goals and career ambitions, there is no other choice but to work to progress your career forward.
Progressing, of course, doesn’t just mean doing the most obvious thing. It doesn’t just mean putting yourself out there at work or asking for that promotion. You need a solid foundation to lift off, so use these five methods to help you reach for the stars:
Explore Your Career Options
Having people that you look up to in your field is a great way to explore career options. You have to remember that, at the end of the day, job roles are entirely fabricated. Though some roles are more clearly defined, you can still tweak and make roles into your own. The most custom the role, of course, the more you will need to negotiate your specific duties. You can convince a company that they need you, even if they don’t have the position you want available. You can customize your position into something better suited to your strengths.
A lack of imagination can be a problem, but that is why finding inspiring people is a great option. They can help keep you inspired and will give you a better understanding of what it is possible to do.
Gain Further Qualifications
In some careers, there are qualification barriers to advancement. If you want to change or move forward with your career, you will need to go back and further your education. This is often the case with careers that have licensure. Nursing, for example, is one such career. To become an RN you need to earn your BSN. To become an APRN, you need an MSN. To change your career further, you either need a doctorate in nursing or post-masters np programs to expand the skills you can legally use in the workplace.
The good news is that, though it takes time to earn these further qualifications, it is very easy to dictate your career. You don’t need to make guesswork when there are legal barriers, and you work in a career that is as essential as healthcare.
Expand Your Network
Your network is where many of the best and most interesting opportunities come your way. Expanding it in today’s digital world is easy and can be very fun if done correctly. Many job sites have social elements. For example, The Dots has a question and answer forum and community boards where people can post opportunities, questions and just reach out to meet. By growing your online network, you can open up so many doors that would otherwise be inaccessible to you.
Make Opportunities for Yourself
Just as you can answer questions or opportunities, you can make them. Of course, you can also make opportunities for yourself at work as well as online. If you have an idea that will help the company, pitch it. Don’t just discuss it over the water cooler; email it to your manager or business owner, bring it up at meetings and put together a full proposal. You need your name over everything, and you need to take the opportunity. This is how you get put in charge of that project, rather than someone else taking credit for your idea or a team being put together without you in it.
Keep an Eye Out on the Horizon
Sometimes the best way to advance your career is to go to the job boards. If you want a promotion that you just are not getting, apply for that role in new companies. This is the best way to get the wage you deserve, the role you want, and can help you grow your network all at once.
By job hunting, while you keep your existing job, you can also afford to be picky and only go for the roles that you think you will really thrive in.
Of course, you can also look into starting your own business or working for yourself on a freelance or consultant basis. There are so many options out there for you, so keep an eye out on the horizon, and you will be able to further your career before you know it.
