At one point or another we all want a pay rise or a new job but in many cases, it can often be unclear how we get one.  For many of us, career advancement is far more difficult that it used to be. Here are five ways you can accelerate the pace in your career advancement.

Work on goals you’re passionate about

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It’s exceptionally hard to work on something you’re not fully invested in. If you’re not passionate about the goal, the chances of you achieving it are slim to none and the chances of you doing it every single day are even slimmer.

 

Typically, you should find it fairly easy to set yourself goals that will help advance your career. These goals could be personal, it could be learning a new skill that would amplify your work or it could be helping a client achieve their goal. If you can get passionate about your work, even better.

 

Clients / Employers will generally make their goals pretty clear and anything you can do to help them reach these goals will do you the world of good. But like we’ve said already, if you can’t muster up the enthusiasm and passion needed, it’s going to be exceptionally hard to accelerate your career progression.

Stay organised

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Poor organisation will set you on a road to disaster, while good organisation will be a key skill that will help you get ahead (and stay ahead).

 

Staying organised could be anything from being on time to taking proper notes in a meeting. The benefits of being organised are well worth the extra effort too, for example:

 

  • You’ll likely find yourself being less stressed. It wouldn’t be a weird request for your employer to ask for documents from 6 months ago right?
  • It will improve your productivity and it will also improve the productivity levels of your team. Are they asking for key information? Being the first to reply is a great way of standing out in a positive way, and your teammate will be thankful that you had the information to hand.
  • Never be late, having the right information is essential to turning up on time or delivering the work in time.

 

Generally speaking, organisation can be improved by taking notes with a good old fashioned pen and paper. Purchase your pens and notebooks at Argos.

 

Expand your horizons

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In every job there comes a point where we become comfortable with our routine or task list. It’s necessary to mix things up every now and then in order to ensure things don’t become a bit stale.

 

One great way of expanding your horizons is to take a course, read a book or hire an expert for some 1:1 advice and training. If you invest in it yourself, you’ll generally commit more time and effort than you would have if your employer paid for it.

 

If you work in the construction industry, one of the quickest ways to accelerate your career progression is to complete a Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme course or SSSTS for short.  This handy qualification provides you with an in-depth understanding of environmental, welfare and health and safety issues.  You will also gain an awareness of the legal responsibilities in a construction management position.

 

If you’re already in a management role, then Tala Training also runs the Site Management Safety Training Scheme.  This course is recognised by Build UK and is designed to cover all relevant legislation to cultivate a sustainable health and safety culture within your workforce.

Play your cards right

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It pays to make the right decisions around people who have an influence in your career progression. That could be saying the right thing at a social function or demonstrating your professional attitude when the office politics are rife.

 

Regardless of the industry you are working in, a great first impression goes a long way, so why not learn some networking tips here?

 

Additionally, how you deal with office politics can say a lot about you as a person:

  • Do you choose sides?
  • Do you stay out of the argument?
  • Are you a follower?

As obvious as it sounds, playing your cards right can increase the amount of influence you have in the workplace and can help you accelerate your career aspirations.

Cultivating a professional network is key

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If you really want to get ahead, building relationships with the right people can make a world of difference. Having people with a lot of influence in your network are a great resource but where do you even start?  The best job opportunities come from your professional network. If you’re a bit unsure on how you can develop your network:

Find Common Ground

Finding common ground is essential to keeping a good conversation flowing which is often a by product of a great relationship being formed.

 

Being an interesting person outside of your work will not only make your life more enjoyable but it will also give you some interesting subjects that you can chat about. There’s a good chance someone in your work will share the same interests as yourself.

 

Paying it forward

Don’t be overly selfish - make sure you are a network giver as much as a network taker. You may be surprised to hear this, but you don’t have to be far along in your career to have something to offer and give to others within your network.  

 

Maybe you’ve scored a junior position at a prestigious firm or agency. It is likely that you will be rubbing shoulders with people looking to do work within your company, and you will be able to facilitate an introduction. As you can see, the network sharing comes full circle here.

 

 

To get ahead in your career, especially at senior levels, your network will make the difference. There are no application forms (or online postings) for many of the best roles. Instead, people in your network will become a vital resource.  So, next time you see a networking opportunity, make sure you make the most of it!

 

 

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