Be it after graduation or in the early years of employment, the need for achieving more in your career and having job security is a common one. Most individuals spend most of their day thinking about career advancement and being an asset to any company, present or future. In today’s world, recognition, acceptance, and validation are equally important professional goals as career success, ample income, and job security. But not many people can achieve all of them together.
Some professionals are adept at finding new opportunities, building networks, negotiating better salaries, and more. You might be one of those individuals or know someone who is, and you might also be one – what makes them exceptional professionals? The answer is simple but very demanding, they simply have the willingness to master what they do, and keep on expanding from there. Once you realize all it takes is willingness, you too can follow career advice to climb up the corporate ladder.
Here Are 10 Ways to Future Proof Your Career
1. Be Present and Be Seen
Not many promotions are offered to employees who aren’t present on a professional or personal level. They simply put in the day’s work and head back home, but to truly go above and beyond in your career – you need to go above and beyond your normal. Attend events and connect with bosses and colleagues, be present so you leave an impact.
2. Volunteer with Caution
Volunteer in programs not just to participate, but to lead. While it may add some additional tasks to your routine, understand where your efforts count more and go for it. Doing this shows that you are not afraid to do more, and are fit for a leadership position. Your audience would know that you have valuable experience, and your bosses would know that you have excellent management skills.
3. Build Skills To Take With You
An important outcome of employment is the work experience, it is the professional growth you achieved during your contract. This is why developing skills and expertise that you can take with you are essential in any job role. Learn transferable skills that can help you today, and be useful in the future. Develop multiple competencies that will open doors for growth.
4. Think Globally
We usually think of taking one step at a time and expanding from there. But it is equally important to focus on the long-term plan and direction. Finding promotions or other markets should be a regular practice, and developing plans and techniques to avail those offerings can become part of your routine. This way, you can constantly work on professional improvement, here are some things you can do:
- Learn about job openings in different countries and explore the possibility of a transfer.
- Learn diverse culture management skills to boost your international exposure.
5. Track and Record Progress
Career-driven people know what they did, what they are doing, and what they can do better. The approach applies to personal and professional life. In the workplace, it is best to track daily progress so your employers can see how much you are contributing. It also helps you build a case to avail any promotions or bonuses.
6. Set Career Goals
Your employers want to know what you can ultimately contribute, and achieve long-term. It is best to set career goals for yourself so you can shape your professional development and exposure to facilitate achieving that target. Connect with career advisers and get some sense of the long-term and short-term career goals, and work towards them to future-proof your career.
7. Proactively Apply for Promotions
Most people tend to be hopeful that promotion will eventually come their way, however, they don’t seek them out. if you know that you are due for a promotion and meet the criteria, try applying for it. Let your boss know about it, and ask them for their feedback. Even if you don’t get the promotion, ask for feedback so you can do better in the next opportunity.
8. Anticipate Workplace Requirements
You don’t become an asset to the company by simply being told what to do, you become valuable when you do more. It is important to achieve career success by not only focusing on yourself but what others expect from you. Ask yourself if you were a stakeholder of this project, what would you want your employees to do next? And prepare for it.
9. Communicate Better than Before
Key employees know what to say and when to say it, they know when to listen and when to contribute. In short, they know how to effectively communicate and make their contributions matter. Understand what type of communication your colleagues need to see your efforts, and then make a clear proactive communication plan to achieve it.
10. Deliver What You Promised
The value of deliverables is far greater than just verbal commitments. Fix timelines for yourself to deliver your work effectively, leave ample time to review your work, and then report it. Commit to delivering what you promised and be realistic while doing so, build trust and credibility.