Don’t Be A Passenger: Assume Control of Your Own Career Progression

Human beings are fuelled by progression. It’s no secret that the most successful people are the ones continually driven to learn and improve, and they didn’t get that way by waiting around for it to randomly happen.

Many people expect the companies they work for to provide clear, signposted paths towards career development. It’s not an unreasonable notion, of course, and it’s probably how things would be in a perfect world. However, the reality is that most businesses simply don’t have the resources to develop each and every employee from graduate to c-suite.

Still, life wouldn’t be very satisfying if everything was handed to you on a plate. Your career is ultimately your responsibility, and it’s up to you to keep it moving at a rate that satisfies you. Here are just a few steps you can take to end the frustration and make sure you’re always developing.

Cement your identity

If you work in marketing, you know that branding is everything. If you want to maximise your chances for development and new opportunities, you need to ensure that your personal brand is both consistent and highly visible. This means it’s time for some introspection. Look at yourself from the perspective of a would-be employer and ask yourself the same kind of questions they would. For example:
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What do you want to be known for?
• What are your long-term goals and how do you plan on achieving them?
This soul searching might seem tedious, but you can use it to create a clear summary of who you are and what you do well. This summary can then be used to create a consistent bio across all your platforms (CV, LinkedIn, company bios, etc.), as well as easily presented to managers and headhunters.

Expand your expertise

Your organisation might not present the road to progression on a silver platter, but that doesn’t mean the opportunities aren’t there. Look beyond your own department to the company as a whole. Where else you could apply your skills, hone them further, or even develop entirely new ones?

There’s always likely to be a project or two knocking around that could use an extra pair of willing hands. Many companies also offer secondments, which can be an excellent way to broaden your horizons. Getting involved elsewhere will only benefit you in the long run.

Identify those who can help (but don’t expect a free ride)

Mentoring is a viable route towards career progression. Your company will be stacked with experienced pros, and they’ll all know what it feels like to be stuck in a rut. It’s flattering to be considered someone who others look up to, and many senior employees are delighted to share their wisdom and offer assistance in getting up the ladder. But only if they feel like you’re worth it.

So, how do you prove your worth? Offer something in exchange. It’s all well and good simply waltzing up to someone and asking for help, but they’ll feel much more inclined to provide it if they’re getting something back. Whether it’s lending a hand with an understaffed project, clocking in more hours to get stuff done, or even teaching your would-be mentor something new in return, you need to demonstrate that you’ve got the right attitude to go above and beyond.

You already know you’re an asset and proving it to the higher-ups is a sure-fire way to get them interested in seeing you progress. If you’d like further advice, contact tml Partners today to chat to one of our friendly careers experts.