You’ve been in your job maybe a few years, maybe even just a few weeks! But it is never too early to start giving yourself an edge in your career. Have a look at these five tips to help you focus your actions to get ahead in your profession.
Write Down the ‘Big Plan’
The great thing with plans is that you can change them whenever you want! But whether it’s your first day or your first year in your career, have a sit-down and think about your goals. Choose some small manageable ones (learn everyone’s names in the office) and some huge ones (have my own team, start my own business).
As long as you want to achieve them, it doesn’t matter how ludicrous your goals sound. They will help direct your thinking and maximize your time in your current career. The next step is to think about what steps you can take to realize your goals.
See What Other Jobs Are Out There
Is now a good time for your particular job hunt? If you don’t know, then have a quick look on a job searching website or check this quick guide on how to look for work. Perhaps there are a flurry of suitable jobs for you offering more than your current position or perhaps it’s a dry market right now.
Keeping an eye on the number of jobs available to you can help you constantly assess your own worth and know whether it’s time to move on, or if you should stick out your position for another year. Plus, even if you are not planning on leaving your company, job market resources are still useful to boost your confidence when asking for a raise.
Start a Blog
Everyone is specializing in something; whether that is something extremely technical like writing code for stocks, or something more personable like sorting out company relationships in HR. You have skills other people don’t have and you can build them further at home with a blog. As long as you can update regularly (once a week will do), you can slowly build an online presence and become known as an expert.
Having and maintaining a blog can be a great career move as it increases your perceived worth. Plus, if you ever decide to freelance one day, your online following is a quick way to rustle up the first few customers. Social media takes a while to develop, so why not start now? If the idea of writing a blog on your profession doesn’t appeal, then consider writing about a job that you really want.
Challenge Your Mindset on Failure
You are going to make mistakes in your career and fail. The failure itself is normal, the challenge is in how you rectify it. Employees new to the job world can be overwhelmed by their first failures, sometimes having sailed through high school without needing to confront that part of themselves.
Practice rephrasing failure as a problem that needs a solution so that you can keep your head when there is an incident at work and push through professionally. Your supervisors will see you can keep your cool in a pinch.
Have a Backup Plan
The economy can change in a moment. Layoffs, cutbacks and just being fired can be unexpected, so make a backup plan just in case. Keep your resume up to date, lower your monthly outgoings (for example, by searching for cheaper insurance), and always save a portion of your salary for those rainy days.
If you do find yourself unexpectedly unemployed, it is better to use this time as an unofficial holiday while you search for a new direction rather than panicking because you can’t make rent. Make a few profiles on freelancing websites now so that you’re ready to go if you’re unemployed. You hopefully will never need these sorts of management techniques, but they will protect you in crisis.
Hopefully, your head is buzzing with lots of ideas on how you can give yourself an edge in your profession. So, think about how you can help boost your career right now! It’s never too late or too early.
