After working several jobs, trying, appreciating and regretting some of your professional decisions, you have finally landed your dream career, and it is as fulfilling as you imagined. For many, this however, does not last forever. Things start to get repetitive after a while, especially when you do not feel any growth taking place. Avoid stagnation and be on the fast lane to success with these steps:
Communicate how you would want to proceed
Excelling in your work and having clear goals for your career are among the essential rules of success, but they only fuel your career and they do not guarantee fulfillment. You need to actively take charge of your progress to meet your goals.
Let your employer know the career path that you are interested in. This does not mean bombarding them with information on how you want to proceed with your career on your terms. Your quarterly and annual reviews are some of the best times to bring this up.
As you set your goals for the upcoming year, talk about where you would like to go career-wise and ask for assignments that will pave the way. If you are seeking a management position, prove your leadership skills and and ask if you can lead the team on a project. Taking initiative is what will set you apart from the pack. Look for opportunities to serve and to serve first.
In many cases, it can be useful to work on special projects or cross-functional teams, extending your exposure and your skills.
Express interest for an opportunity
Employees tend to think that promotion decisions are solely based on merit; that is not always the case. In fact, your manager may be assuming that you are not interested in a supervisor role while that could be your door to many career changing opportunities.
While some assumptions could violate many discrimination laws, it does not mean that subtle prejudice does not exist. So, if there is an opportunity that you are interested in, tell your boss about it.
You may also have relevant skills and interests that your employer is not aware of. The only way they’ll know is if you tell them. Act quick, or you might get passed up for someone else who does speak up.
Receive relevant training
You need to be willing to learn if you want to succeed in your work and this includes training.
If there is a position you are eyeing, know the kind of training you have to undergo and pursue it. Find a colleague who has the position you are targeting and ask about what they did to get that role.
Some of it may include work experience and external and in-house training. You might even need to go back to school if the position favors candidates with MBAs or other degrees. Not every career path, however, requires formal degrees or certifications. The goal is to know the specific requirements of the role you’re gunning for.
Your comfort zone is a beautiful place but nothing ever grows there, and this applies to your career path. Career growth is impossible if you do not step outside of your current box. So, speak out, learn new things, and race towards your well-deserved success.
Money-Smart Millennials 