The next thing we tend to seek after we have landed that job that we worked so hard for is career growth. No one wants to be stuck in a professional rut, so to speak. Every few years it is important to move forward, both for the sake of professional growth as well as job satisfaction.
Don’t get me wrong, some people are completely content doing the same thing for 15 years, but all of us can’t be that lucky. It is only human to get just a tad bit restless after a few years in the same position.
So without further ado, here are 5 smashing ways in which you can give your career a solid boost:
- Ask for Constructive Feedback
Even though sometimes you may think you are doing well, others may not hold the same view. Taking a look at your output through someone else’s perspective can really help you to make the necessary leaps forward. You can ask your colleagues or even your boss for feedback on your performance every now and then and take that feedback seriously.
If nothing else, your boss will definitely be impressed with your desire to improve and will surely keep you in mind if a promotion comes up.
- Volunteer to Take On Additional Responsibilities
If you find that you have space to take on some additional responsibilities at work without stressing yourself out too much, volunteer your services. Let your boss know that you would be happy to help out with some volunteer work for a couple of hours a week. This will give you an opportunity to explore other avenues apart from your department and you will also give you a fresh challenge. And rest assured, your taking initiative will not go unnoticed.
- Embrace the Water Cooler
Water cooler talk may not seem so significant, but it provides a platform for people to connect and vent a few times during the day. You can gain a lot of insight from merely listening to others talk about their grievances. This will also give you a chance to act on certain issues before they become too big or before you are told to do something about it.
- Make Use of Your Commute
A lot of us spend at least 40 minutes travelling to work. Make use of this time to listen to lectures, podcasts and seminars on anything that will enrich your knowledge about your area of work. You will be able to apply this knowledge to your everyday tasks and soon enough you will get recognized for your efforts.
- Take Online Courses
Career training is a surefire way to get fast-tracked. Taking online courses can really sharpen your skill set, increase your knowledge, improve your performance at work and really boost your confidence. Not to mention, it will look very impressive on your resume and make you all the more desirable for filling a senior position.
The great thing about and online career school is that you have a ton of flexibility to complete your course work, you can proceed at your own pace and you can pretty much finish an entire course for less than $4000 in most cases.
With online career training schools like Career Step or U.S. Career Institute, you can finish your training in a matter of a few months and be ready for that promotion when it comes your way.