There is nothing worse than working hard and not being appreciated. However, we have to remind us of reality from time to time. It is not easy to get recognition today as it was a few years ago. This is because if you are working hard so are others. There is no differentiating factor that would highlight you from the crowd.
Take the example of any industry like banking, pharmaceutical, IT, or others each one of these has high competition in them. If you have a qualification or experience that you think is valuable, the harsh truth is there will be thousands of other people with the same qualifications and experience.
In such a scenario, differentiating yourself from others becomes difficult and you end being stuck in the same place.
Our career experts at Lensa have done some research and have come up with the best 10 ways to move ahead in your career.
10 effective methods that can ensure growth in your career are:
Network, Network, and Network!
You won’t find any industry where networking isn’t important. Having a network of right people is all you need to open the door to the next big thing in your career.
Networking can get you noticed and it can bring in the fresh contacts that can provide you some amazing suggestions. It is very easy to network.
For starters, you can talk to your colleagues and take them out for coffee or lunch. Networking can also take the form of sending invitations to recruiters on LinkedIn. Again, you can also attend an actual networking event that is meant for your industry people.
Have the courage to deviate
In theory, everything may seem easy, but life doesn’t work in that way. Think about your five-year plan and see what is it that you really want? What is that you are passionate about? If it seems different than what you are doing now then don’t be fearful of changing paths.
Show you are an expert
Become an expert in the work that you do. It doesn’t matter if you are an accountant, a customer care executive, a marketing specialist, or a software engineer. What matters is that you become an expert in that field. This means you have to possess in-depth knowledge in your domain.
Subject matter experts are the ones who everyone turns to get specialized work done.
To become an expert:
- You can get certified
- Get recognitions and awards
- Learn by enrolling in a course
- Network and share knowledge with people
Look your best
When you work in an office everyone notices what you wear. Yes, how you dress, should not be judging criteria for how talented and knowledgeable you are. However, we are humans and humans are biased towards people who make an effort to dress well.
Moreover, dressing good has an added benefit of improving our confidence. It has the power to put us in a frame of mind where we feel that we can do it.
Additionally, when you show up in the office wearing sharp-looking formals people take you more seriously. They see you as a dedicated professional who knows his work well.
Get multiple mentors
If you don’t have a mentor, consider getting one. Again, while you are at it, try having multiple mentors. A single mentor cannot give the multi-dimensional career perspective that you might need. Therefore, it’s better to get other seniors as your mentor as well.
In this way, while one mentor can give you emotional support when you are down. The other mentor can motivate you to get out of your comfort zone to learn.
Show that you deserve more
We live in a tough world. Here when you want something, you have to show people that you deserve it. How do you show that? You can show that by working extra hard. Not minding to put in some extra hours and not budging or turning the other way when the situation gets challenging.
Just note that before putting in the work decide if what you are doing is what you are passionate about. See if this is what you want to be doing. If that is the case, putting extra efforts won’t be that hard and waste for you.
Plan
Planning is crucial and there is no substitute for it. You have to treat your career plans as a strategy to achieve your goals. Start by jotting down your short term goals and then move ahead to find out what your long term (5 years or more) goals are.
Once you are clear on these, start taking actions and arrange for meetings. Talk to your manager and convey to him what you want out of your current role. Your manager will definitely appreciate your zeal to learn and your ambition. This is a great way of building a good relationship with your manager.
Take risks
There comes a time when not taking a risk becomes a risk in itself. If you find yourself in this type of position than you need to brace yourself and take the risk. When we are asking you to take a risk, we mean take a calculated risk. Always have a plan B ready.
In this way, you can lower down your fear and you will also have a safety net if something goes south.
Learn a new language
Learning a new language opens a door to many new opportunities. Suppose you just know English right now, but you decide to learn Spanish. If earlier you were employable just in Canada, England, and America, now you are employable in Spain, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
When there is an opportunity to expand the business of your company in these Spanish speaking regions, you will be considered to visit these places and represent your company. How cool is that?!
Get feedbacks
Asking for feedback achieves two things. First, it allows you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Second, it allows you to come across to others as someone who wants to improve himself.
You should be asking for feedback from your direct manager or the people you work with. This can be done, by directly asking them or raising this question in a casual discussion in a formal lunch.
Final Thoughts
Many people work hard but not all of them move ahead in their careers. To ensure that you don’t end up falling into this category follow our recommended tips.
