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What Can You Do To Move Your Career Forward?

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Move your career forward|What Can You Do To Move Your Career Forward?Are you looking for ways to move your career forward and achieve more in 2022? If so, you are not alone! There are a lot of people today who feel like they want to move their career up a notch. They may feel like they are in a dead-end job. Or, they may feel like they have served their time, and now is the perfect chance for them to have more responsibility and more of a meaningful job role. No matter what your situation may be, if you are looking for different ways to move your career forward, we have got you covered. Read on for some great ideas and suggestions.

Consider moving to enhance your career prospects

It could be that you will have better career prospects in a different location, and so this is something that you may want to look into in further detail. Do your research online to find out more about different job opportunities for your industry and whether or not another state would make a lot more sense for you. Of course, moving to another location is something that you need to consider very seriously. It is not a case of simply packing your bags and leaving, as a lot of people have commitments in their current location. You can find a helpful moving guide for medical professionals, finance experts, and much more online, so you should be able to find all of the tips and advice you need for moving within your chosen profession.

Invest in a training course to enhance your qualifications

Investing in yourself is important if you want to move your career forward. The great thing about the digital age is that it is easier to retrain and advance your skill set than it ever has been before. There are some great online training courses that you can make the most of, and you will be able to attain qualifications that are recognized around the world. Therefore, it makes sense to really think about what sort of certification will help you advance your career the most. Look for any gaps that you have in your current skill set at the moment so that you can make the improvements that are necessary to give yourself the best chance of moving forward in your career. Of course, your employer may offer some training opportunities, so it is worth looking into this. However, if they do not, take matters into your own hands and invest in yourself.

Give yourself small milestones to achieve

Aside from the advice that we have provided so far, we also recommend that you set up some small milestones for yourself to achieve. We are sure you have an ultimate overall goal of where you want to get to in your career. This could be an ideal job position or a set amount of earnings that you would like to make. While it is good to have goals like these, they can also seem too far away and this can end up being quite frustrating. You lose motivation because you feel like you have a mountain to climb. This is why we recommend that you split your big overall goal into a lot of little milestones and goals.

This will ensure that you are always working toward goals and you are constantly feeling motivated whenever you achieve something. This will also help you to ultimately get to where you want to be because you will keep ticking off steps on your to-do list, meaning you are being productive and you are one step closer to your ultimate goal. You may also want to consider keeping a work journal. You can write in this every evening. You can write down your thoughts, any goals you have, anything you have achieved, and anything you would like to improve on. This will help to keep you focused and ensure that you keep making progress in your career.

Talk with your boss about a promotion

Don’t be afraid to talk with your boss about promotion and to find out what you have got to do to move up in the workplace. A lot of the time people end up being frustrated because they want to move up the career ladder within their current place of work, yet they feel like they are always overlooked for promotions. If this applies to you, it is not something you should simply accept. Instead, ask your boss if you can speak with him or her. You can tell them about your desire to be promoted and have a higher position within the business. Ask them what they feel is missing and preventing you from taking that step. In some cases, bosses can simply overlook people for promotions because they assume that they are happy with the job role they have. Therefore, simply letting your employer know that you want more and that you are ambitious can make all of the difference. Aside from this, you can learn about what your employer feels like is missing at the moment. This will help you to focus on the areas that need to be improved so that you can give yourself the best chance of progressing your career and moving forward. We know it can be quite nerve-wracking to have this conversation with your boss, but there is really nothing to worry about. Your boss certainly will not be disappointed to see that you are showing ambition.

Final words on moving your career forward

So there you have it: some of the different ways that you can move your career forward this year. We hope that the ideas and suggestions that we have mentioned above will help you to achieve more from your career this year. Of course, you can adapt some of the suggestions that we have mentioned above based on the career that you have at the moment but we hope that they will help you to get to where you want to be.

Resolve to Land Your Dream Job in 2022

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Land your dream job|Resolve to Land Your Dream Job in 2022It is the resolution many workers make each new year: “This is the year I get my dream job.”

For those truly motivated to land a new role, ascend to the next level, boost their salary—or all three—conditions have rarely been better. Due to the Great Resignation, job listings are plentiful, wages are rising, and employers are upping the ante to lure workers. The huge competition for talent has given employees the upper hand.

While it might be tempting to jump at the next opportunity you see on LinkedIn or make a lateral move for a raise, the last thing you want to do is leave a tolerable position for one that becomes quickly intolerable. When you are in a job you love, it feels custom-made just for you. You feel your values reflected in the company’s mission. You feel rewarded just for working there—“Thank God it’s Monday,” you think each week. And the paycheck is nice, too.

I have been writing about the job market for several years, and frankly, conditions have never been better to land your dream job. I believe that following these ten steps can bring you closer to your dream job in the coming months:

1. Take time to plan and dream

The important first step is to carve out time to think through the position you’d like to achieve. The ideal career awaits you if you do your homework. Keep careful lists of the qualities and talents you possess and which types of businesses will reward them. Put pen to paper—or fingers to keyboards—and allow yourself to follow ideas where they lead. This a valuable first step for finding the career that is right for you. (Need some inspiration? Take a personality test, such as that offered by Meyers-Briggs. Or ask your friends where they see you working and investigate those jobs.)

2. Work backwards

One way of figuring out what your “dream job” is right now is to imagine yourself five years from now (in an even dreamier job). Then work backwards to figure out the stepping-stone jobs you need to take to eventually land there. Maybe you can’t run a publishing empire or be a social media influencer with 20,000,000 Instagram followers yet—but if you take smaller, intentional baby steps, you will have a better chance of eventually reaching your aspiration.

3. Learn how to toot your own horn

Regardless of whether you’re a boisterous extrovert or a restrained introvert, let those around you know your capabilities. The most important place to start is within your own company. When you win a piece of business or create an attractive website or advance a project in any way, get the word out. Don’t be shy. Also, don’t assume that you can just dash off an email that the higher-ups will necessarily read. You need to get comfortable with promoting your achievements. No one will do this for you. You are your own best advocate.

4. Engage in general networking

Is there a young professionals group associated with your industry, such as a local chapter of Meetup.com, that you should join? Does your company offer a mentor program that will pair you with a senior employee who might become your advocate? If not, you may want to look into finding a mentor outside your company. Do you need to expand your LinkedIn presence and begin commenting and posting your own industry observations? There’s never enough time to network, so somehow you need to make the time.

5. Set up 15-minute informational interviews

Ask around to see if there is anyone you know who would spare a few minutes to discuss her field with you. It could be a friend, or a friend of a friend, or even one of your parents’ friends. You may be surprised to find that people often want to offer advice on the steps to take to start out in their field. Prepare some questions in advance—for example: ask how the person ended up in her field, what best prepared her for her career, which aspects she most enjoys, and how the field is changing. Depending on how forthcoming the person is, you might also ask if she would mind if you sent a resume to keep on file in case of any future openings.

6. Read job postings

Do you feel goosebumps zip down your spine when you read about certain jobs? It could be an indication that this is the job of your dreams. Start reading job postings in the two or three fields that excite you. You can find postings on LinkedIn, Monsterjobs, Indeed, Glassdoor, and Simply Hired. Familiarize yourself with job descriptions to learn common industry terms, roles, salaries, and in-demand skills.

7. Customize your resume

Your resume should reflect the skills you possess and your specific accomplishments—but be sure to customize and change your resume appropriately for each position you pursue. Don’t be afraid to parrot some of the words on the list of requirements back to the company. Many times, companies will use the key words mentioned in the job posting when screening resumes. Try to work in examples that have relevance to the company’s customers or clients or to issues taking place industry-wide. Show how you can add value by quantifying results you’ve achieved. For example, “Coordinated silent auction for children’s advocacy organization that brought in $49,000” or “Streamlined outdated accounting system to save the company 50 hours—and $3,900—per week.”

8. Show personality in your cover letter

Write a cover letter that truly reflects your own personality. Remember that you need to stand out, not just blend in to the hundreds of “blah-blah-blah” letters. Hiring managers look for candidates with dynamism behind their desire to work for the company. Choose words that reveal that you are passionate, not passive: instead of “helpful,” your findings were “game-changing.” Instead of “useful,” your discoveries proved “transformational.”

9. Consider the gig economy

If you dream of being your own boss, why not look into gig work? With so many upsides—including picking and choosing your clients and projects, as well as your hours and fees—it’s no wonder 40 percent of the U.S. workforce is employed in gig work. Ask yourself if your talents lend themselves to gig work. Also, do you have the expertise with technology and the ability to manage finances to work independently? Gig work could be a stepping stone to a full-time position or an end in itself. The rewards of gig work can be worth the effort as long as you enter into it thoughtfully and with an appropriate amount of preparation.

10. Thank those who helped you

Even if you don’t secure a job the first time around, when you remember to thank the people who granted you an interview, those people will remember you and think of you for other opportunities. While it may seem traditional, a handwritten thank-you card still carries cachet. Or, if you send a note electronically, sincerely show gratitude and help the person remember you by bringing up something he said that you found helpful or insightful.

You may not land the first few positions that you go for, but with each attempt, you will get better at the application and interview process. Stay motivated by keeping the prospect of landing your dream job in your sights.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Vicky Oliver

Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions (Sourcebooks 2005), named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep,” 301 Smart Answers to Tough Business Etiquette Questions (Skyhorse, 2010), and Bad Bosses, Crazy Coworkers & Other Office Idiots (Sourcebooks, 2008). She is a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 901 appearances in broadcast, print and online outlets. For more information, visit vickyoliver.com.

The Mini Career Changing Guide You Never Knew You Needed

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StrategyDriven Practices for Professionals Article |Career Change|The Mini Career Changing Guide You Never Knew You NeededThere may be a whirlwind of reasons why you’re considering a career change. Maybe you’re beginning to feel less fulfilled in the work that you do, you’ve grown tired of not being challenged, or maybe the industry you’re working in isn’t what it was cracked up to be. Whatever reason that you may have for wanting to change careers, it’s important to know that it’s all completely valid. So this mini-guide is to help you out with changing careers.

Why exactly are you wanting to change careers?

There are many reasons why you might want to make a career change. Whatever the reason may be, it’s important to think about it thoroughly as this is going to help you think of ways to get out of your old career and into a new one. Since there are many considerations to make before deciding whether or not it is the right time to switch careers, here’s what you should ask yourself.

  • What is your current work situation?
  • Do you have the financial stability to support yourself through this transition period?
  • Is your current job in danger of being eliminated due to automation?
  • Will your current skills still be relevant for any other careers you’d like to get into?

Think about the skills you’ll need in your target industry

Is there a specific industry you’d like to get into? What about a certain role? In both of these cases, you’ll have to think about the skills. In order to have a successful career in the industry that you are targeting, you need to have a set of skills that will help you get there.

So what skills do you have that can be easily transferable? What skill sets do you have that could be in demand in the industry you’re wanting to get into? You should also try to figure out what relevant experience you have in your current job and industry versus what’s relevant in the target industry. For instance, if you’re wanting to get into the healthcare field, do you know about the terminology or the equipment they use like the Philips Lumify? These all need to be taken into account.

What are your goals for getting into a new career?

Many people have a goal of getting into a new career. They might have been laid off, or they may just want to explore new opportunities.

The first goal is figuring out what exactly you’re wanting to do. This might seem like a simple task, but it can be difficult because there are so many different careers out there. You will need to identify the type of work that you enjoy and the skills that you have so far developed. But it’s also important to consider whether your degree, certifications, or any training that you’ve had in the past is transferable or not.

While skills and years of experience are important, there are some employers that also expect the same standards for education as well. It may help to try and network, read some articles, or even do other methods of research such as watching YouTube for getting an idea of what you’d like.

Important pointers for changing careers

Since changing careers may be easier for some than others, it’s helpful to have some additional pointers that you may have never thought about. These can help you out while you’re going through the process of applying for new jobs.

  • Start networking immediately with people in the industry you’re interested in going into
  • Understand that you may need to tailor your resume to fit the role and the industry you’re hoping to get into
  • Do you have a skill that’s highly in demand such as speaking a second language?
  • Attend trade shows and other networking events for getting your name out there
  • If you haven’t already, you should start a portfolio or even set up a blog to let recruiters know about your knowledge

These are just a few tips that could potentially help you out.

3 Reasons to Not Let Your Doubts Keep You from Pursuing Your Dream Career

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Pursue your Dream Career|3 Reasons to Not Let Your Doubts Keep You from Pursuing Your Dream CareerMany people out there have a “dream career” in mind. Something that they would really love to do, and would find deeply meaningful.

Far too often, though, doubt ends up getting in the way and we end up settling for “safer” options, instead of putting ourselves out there and earnestly pursuing our dream careers. This is in spite of the fact that there are now many platforms and services out there which can streamline the process of getting started in your dream career, such as Preceptor Tree.

Here are just a few reasons not to let your doubts keep you from pursuing your dream career.

Because your thoughts about things may be deeply mistaken, and direct experience gives real perspective

Although you may feel as though you have a pretty clear insight into the potential obstacles that stand in the way of you achieving your dream career, the fact of the matter is that your thoughts may be a lot less accurate than you may think – even when you feel as though you’re being very logical.

In order to make predictions about how things are going to turn out, and in order to create “logical projections” as well, we all need to make certain assumptions on the basis of our past experiences and biases, and on the basis of the mental maps that we have constructed.

In many cases, though, direct experience ends up proving to be very different than what we had thought about a given situation.

This is a pretty clear reason why it’s important not to let your own self-defeating thoughts prevent you from taking steps to pursue your dream career. There’s a good chance that those self-defeating thoughts are mistaken, or are in any case not providing the full picture.

Because striving to achieve something that you find meaningful can enrich your life in all sorts of other ways.

Even if you don’t necessarily succeed in achieving your dream career, simply striving to achieve something that you find genuinely meaningful can enrich your life in all sorts of other ways, ranging from granting you a great deal more motivation and enthusiasm each day, to showing you all sorts of options that you had never considered.

The momentum that pursuing your dream career can give you, and the process of discovery that comes from working honestly towards a dream in this way, can be fundamentally rewarding, and can be game changers in and of themselves.

And, at the end of the day, you won’t have to sit around thinking “what would’ve happened if I had just tried?”

Because the more proactive and engaged you are, the more opportunities will arise.

Being proactive and engaged, in general, tends to generate a lot of opportunities along the way – whereas simply going through the motions and remaining in your comfort zone, at a day job that you don’t much enjoy, doesn’t tend to generate many opportunities at all.

Pursuing your dream career– like all other proactive endeavours – has the potential to open many doors.

Nine Ways You Can Further Your Career

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StrategyDriven Professional Development Article |Further your Career|Nine Ways You Can Further Your CareerCareer development is not the responsibility of your manager. You are responsible. The manager is liable for your output. Thus, determining your goals and accomplishments at the annual review time is not the best idea.

These 9 career-boosting steps you can take today and in the coming months will boost your career.

Set Small Goals Often

There is a lot of emphasis on goals during annual reviews. It is difficult to set realistic, attainable goals in a year; it is actually too long. For this reason, setting smaller goals is more appropriate.

Consider what you do on a daily basis. Are there any ways to elevate that work? How can you improve yourself? Put these items on your list of goals and give them some thought. Once you’ve set your goals, give yourself a deadline by which you must learn these things.

You should grade yourself at the end of the deadline. Please. You know how it goes. What did you do? How well did you do it? You may also want to ask a friend or colleague how they would rate or grade your new skills. Do it again.

Stretch Yourself

We think the only way to succeed is to get out of our comfort zones. As such, you must learn to think outside of your expertise.

Dare to be scared. Are you afraid to speak in public? Attend business presentations and networking events. Do you feel anxious about sharing your industry insights? Request that someone publish your articles. Emotional intelligence training for geeks could be one way to stretch yourself.

Ask For Feedback

It is important to do self-assessments and to get feedback. You should also get feedback constantly. You should ask the following questions after every meeting:

What were your most successful strategies?
If it were even better, what would it be?”

From these two questions, you can learn a great deal. There is a lot you can learn from these two questions about the quality of your work and performance. Try them out.

Learn About Your Industry

Every week, spend some time learning about your industry. Consider yourself to be being tested on your industries and companies. Consult experts. Get advice from colleagues and managers. Speak to your clients about their feelings. Gather information from industry experts. Share the insights you collect with your clients.

Research

Keep up with the latest blogs, whether they are big or small. Take the time to read books relating to your profession. Read books about business that encourage you to think differently. As a reader, you can spark conversations with other people you meet at networking events. You can also build your career by learning new ways to do things and different hacks about living your life that will make it run more smoothly, both at work and at home.

Networking

The standard LinkedIn invite should never be sent. Not ever. That is all we can say. Let the recipient know what you have in common with him or her, and how you want to help them. To get a face-to-face introduction, ask a member of your network. Keeping an impression is the key to successful networking. But LinkedIn is not the only platform. Meet as many people as possible by attending industry events, local events, and local functions. This will also keep you interested in what you’re doing.

Find A Mentor

For all those elements, mentors can be an excellent resource. What are you looking for in a mentor? Let your mentor know what you are looking for. Do you have a question about the industry or how your company operates? Want to find out how you can stretch your abilities? Try mentoring!

Find A Protégé

Furthermore, a good protégé can be a valuable source of information and knowledge as well. It is possible to break your paradigms when you have a protege. In addition to exposing you to new ideas, they can present you with new approaches and ways to approach problems.

Always Be Listening

Even if you are happy in your current job, building relationships with new people and listening to other opportunities never hurts. Whether you want to grow and improve your career or grow and improve your personal life, that’s what you need to do.

Don’t shy away from your next opportunity or new connection. It feels great when people notice you! Do you have any other tips that could help? Please share them in the comments below.