Steps to Stepping Up Your Career

When you were a child, you probably had a picture of the kind of life you wanted to have when you grow up. It probably included a family you wanted to have and the work where you hoped to spend your days with. You may still have those dreams now, except that you’re now clueless as to how to get your dream job.

You’ve started climbing the corporate ladder several years back and it seems that you are stuck in your current job position, with any advancement in your career nowhere in sight. No matter how “impossible” it seems, career development is possible. Here are a few steps to step up your career:

Look inside

What good habits, skills, and talents do you currently have that you can cultivate and use to reach your goals? What are other habits, skills, and talents do you need to develop to better yourself and be more suitable for the job you want?

You may already have the set of skills and abilities to do your current job well.  But if you’re aiming for a certain higher position in your company, you also need to acquire the skills and abilities needed to fit to the position you want to have. After all, investing in yourself is one of the best things you can do to achieve your career goals.

Force Yourself

Acknowledge that there are certain things that you’re scared of doing. There are things that are work related that you’re uncomfortable of doing. Coming to terms with the things that you’re uncomfortable with is the first step towards growth.

Once you’ve fully understood what makes you uncomfortable, the next step is to dare to do exactly what you feel uncomfortable doing. As long as what you will be doing is right and legal, you shoud be fine. It’s when you force yourself to do what makes you uncomfortable that you begin to grow.

Talk to Experts

Ask your HR about how they can possibly assist in helping you in your career. Talking with a self-development coach can greatly help you assess which areas of your life you need to look into. A self-development coach can guide you to having the right mindset to reach your goals and understand yourself better.

Moreover, consulting professional development coaches can also be very helpful as they can help you assess and create a career development plan. A career development plan is a one to five year plan that will serve as your guide to reaching your desired job.

Maintain External Reputation

Create a good reputation for yourself aside from the one you have at work. Be active in promoting advocacies or work that you are most passionate about. Join groups that will help you create your own network of people.

Host seminars and dare to speak in front of a crowd. Create a name for yourself outside of what you do at work. Creating a valuable image for yourself makes it easier for your bosses to notice how valuable you are to the company.

Moreover, creating a good, strong reputation for yourself also shows that you are capable of leading people and get things done.

Step Up and Go for the Extra Mile

One unfortunate truth about work is that it’s easy to go unnoticed and be taken for granted. There are a lot of employees in the workplace and most are probably eyeing the same spot you’re seeking to get.

The key to get ahead is to be consistent in maintaining good performance. Consistent strong performance is one of the most effective ways of getting the bosses to look towards your direction. It’s impossible for a strong talent to go unnoticed for long.

Above all the career development tips above, it’s important to also remember to always persevere. Wherever you are in your journey towards achieving your dream job, and no matter how tough the road, remember that losing only happens when you decide to quit.

Behind every successful person is a story of failures and defeats that changed them in more ways than one. But no matter the hardships, they continue to strive towards getting what they want, ultimately leading them to their success. It doesn’t matter what chapter you currently are, what’s more important is you strive to give your story a good ending.