Personal growth and career development is a never-ending journey. To remain competitive in the job market,it’s always important to seek ways to develop one’s capabilities, competencies,and professional skills. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for career development, so professionals are left to their own devices in trying to get ahead.
If you’re a professional and arelooking to further your professional career, we’ve got you covered. We have compiled a list of life-changing hacks that all professionals must do in theirlifetime, should they want to reach greater heights in their career.
1. Set clear goals and expectations
By setting detailed, realistic goals, you can come up with actionable steps that will help you reach those goals. Being able to measure your accomplishments can also motivate you in the long run.
For example:
Ø Earning an industry certification (e.g., CISCO,AHIMA, Autodesk, CompTIA, CMP, CFA, etc.)
Ø Further academic studies (MBA, PhD, etc.)
Ø Learn a new skill
2. Find a mentor
For any industry, obtaining insights and having someone keep track of your progress asa professional can do wonders for your career. In that regard, having a mentor provides an individual with a wealthy resource of extensive industry knowledge.
Mentors can help you learn new skills, help you improve on your soft skills, and keep track of your personal growth. However, finding a suitable mentor with no idea where to begin can be difficult for some. Many industry veterans found their mentors in professional organizations, connected with them in events, or even old college professors.
No matter where you found your mentor, the important thing is to ensure that they are providing you with much needed moral support and valuable insight.
3. Attend Seminars and Conferences
Attending seminars, conferences, and forums can help aspiring professionals gain certifications, gain insights from industry leaders, and upskill oneself to keep up with peers or get ahead. If you are part of a professional organization, make sure to attend seminars, conferences,and even forums that pique your interest.But if you are currently not part of any organization, there are numerous industry-specific events available online that will help you with your career growth!
Some events may cost you a bit of money, but these events will surely change the trajectory of your career path upwards. For the engineering professionals out there, this year XPERTO will be hosting ReENGINEER+2022: Upskilling Engineering Professionals in a Data-driven industry. Get your tickets now in the link below: https://app.xperto.ph/events
4. Join Professional Organizations
Whether you’re a medical professional, lawyer, engineer, or business professional, there is an organization out there for you. Joining industry-specific organizations or chapters can help in many ways aside from the prestige of being a member.
Organizations benefit their members by providing a wealth of networking and linkages resources.
Ø Business owners can market their product or service within the organization and find like-minded individuals that could either be clients or potential business partners.
Ø For those looking for career advancement, you can find business owners or managers that have the right position for you!
Ø Mentor-mentee relationships are usually developed within professional organizations. Make sure to grab the chance to gain a mutually beneficial relationship with mentors/mentees if the opportunity presents itself.
Ø Make lifelong friends and mutually beneficial contacts.
5. Keep Track of Your Own Progress
Many professionals fail to keeptrack how far they’ve come since they began in the industry. Knowing where you are and where you want to be helps you remain in the career path that you are aiming for. Make sure to check on your progress, give yourself enough time to breathe, and try not to burn out attempting to reach an unreachable goal.
Career success doesn’t always mean reaching the top. Sometimes, it just means you feel fulfilled in your career.
