7 Professional Development Tips to Advance Your Career

The global pandemic is still not over. Employees who have been laid off are struggling to meet their ends. Besides this, strict lockdown measures, low business activities, and decreasing sales have demotivated every individual.

Consequently, most of us were worried about our careers. However, business experts are optimistic about the future. Therefore, we should update our CVs in a meaningful way. We should use this time to invest in career building to reap the benefits when the economy is back on track.

Let us learn about some professional tips for advancing the career and standing out of the mob:

1.   Set a Clear and Realistic Path

Though you might be performing well at your job, you should plan for promotions. For instance, you are happy with your current position as an “accounts associate.” You are earning good, and bonuses are given on great performance.

However, do you want to spend your entire life in this position? No. Plan how to grow and set a goal for the future. At which position do you want to see yourself in the next few years. It can be an Accounts Manager or a Department Head. Once you know your goal, you will work well to achieve it. Additionally, notice the skills required for this position and plan to acquire these skills.

2.   Focus on Improving Skills

Even if everything is going well at work, there is always some room for learning. Therefore, never stop acquiring new skills. Analyze your routine and see what new thing you learned in the past few days?

If you are doing similar tasks repeatedly and not learning anything new, you are making a big mistake. However, it’s never too late. Research the new skills in your field and plan out the steps to learn. Now, allocate one step for each day.

When you are done with the projects assigned by the boss, take out few minutes to learn the new skill. When I joined a software house as an intern, I used the same method. Within six months, I was able to learn programming from scratch.

Now, I am a permanent employee of the same company. All this happened because I continued to learn new skills.

3.   Keep Hunting for Better Opportunities

You might be working in one of the best firms and getting a handsome salary package, but never consider it as an end. Always stay active and keep researching for better opportunities. Additionally, create professional profiles on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. These profiles will increase your visibility among potential employers. Furthermore, you will also get a chance to search for recent openings through your social media accounts. Apart from it, make an account on the best job-hunting websites. Put extra effort into making your profile stand out. You can do it with the following tips:

• Add certifications and achievements
• Use images and video clips
• Show recommendations by famous employers

Have a look at the Twitter profile of Chelsea Krost, Adam Grant, and Hannah Morgan for a better understanding. Besides this, you can join various groups on Facebook like:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketlikeanerd/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/GlobalSpeakersandAuthors

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1541959772732424/

4.   Time Management is Imperative

Successful people always have the best time-management skills. Managing time helps in giving the best output. Moreover, it reduces the last-minute pressure and enables us to think strategically. Great time-management skills will help you to waste less time.

Thus, you will have enough time to complete the core tasks, learn new skills, and relax. You can download some time-management apps, research for tips, or join online training courses.

Additionally, you can take advice from your industry experts. For instance, if you are from the software development industry, you can follow famous software developers on Twitter like Joel Spolsky, Kevin Marks, Jesse Stay, etc.

5.   Build a Strong Social Network

Socialization is important for every career. Today, many companies do not openly announce their openings. They prefer doing referral hiring. Thus, socialization increases your chances to reach a potential employer.

Additionally, never miss a college reunion. Stay connected with your professors and class fellows. Similarly, do not break your connection with the former boss, manager, and office colleagues. Also, attend all relevant business conferences, trade shows, and training workshops.

Some people have enough skills and expertise. However, their limited social network becomes a hindrance to their growth.

6.   Connect with People Having Diverse Thinking

All of us feel comfortable when surrounded by like-minded people. In a workplace, conflicts and disagreements are less when like-minded people work together. However, there is one drawback to it. It restricts us from thinking with the other perspective.

For instance, if you are a team leader and have like-minded teammates, you will lose the opportunity of handling a project with multiple perspectives. Similarly, if you have a rebellious teammate, it will provide you an opportunity of using the best leadership skills.

When other people challenge your approach, you get a chance to prove your point and think creatively. It helps in showcasing your diverse skills to the firm. Furthermore, it motivates you to polish your skills and excel in every aspect.

7.   Focus on Productivity

Besides all other things, one most important tip is to increase productivity. No one can excel without increasing productivity. For instance, to get a position as a manager, you should first prove yourself to be the best team member. It is only possible by giving the best productivity. Thus, work on increasing productivity by managing time, bringing automation, and thinking with creativity.

Wrapping It Up

In short, career advancement is a desire of every other individual. However, we need to plan things for bringing the career growth. Tips like increasing social networks, enhancing productivity, and learning new skills are helpful. Furthermore, looking for new opportunities and meeting people with a diverse mindset aids in advancing the career.

Above all, we should set a future goal and plan all other activities for achieving it. Undoubtedly, it is not a one-day process. It requires time, effort, and motivation. Stay consistent with your efforts, and days are not far when you achieve your dream goals.

Muhammad Shoaib

Shoaib provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for Dynamologic Solutions. You can also connect with Muhammad on LinkedIn.