Having a career advance is one of the many things employees seek when they sign up for a job. Unfortunately, not every employee or workplace offers this opportunity. As an employee however, you don’t have to give in or give up on your chances for success. With the right strategy, you can achieve your target of adding value to your career. Experts advise to always seek to add value to your skills. They recommend taking courses to expand your skill set, noting that just because you have a job, it doesn’t mean you should hold yourself back or let your skills stagnate. They also assert that it can help you expand your knowledge base and increase your marketability. “Even if you don’t get an entirely new degree, those additional skills help. With online certificates offered, you can develop your professional skills and take them straight into the present-day,” according to Jean Michel Habineza, a leadership coach. Without necessarily enrolling in costly graduate degree programs, he adds, online courses can give you the flexibility to learn exactly the skills you need to thrive in your current position. Habineza also adds that consulting your colleagues for feedback offers a wealth of information for any employee, particularly when it comes to benefits and advantages that can boost your career. “When you get feedback, it gives you a chance to work on your weaknesses and this is very significant for the growth of your career,” he adds. Network in your industry Another aspect that can heighten your career growth and development is simply networking, according to Bosco Niyitegeka, a Pax Press media writer. He says, by simply making yourself available, maintaining professional social networking profiles, talking to others in your industry, participating in forums and attending networking events can increase your chances of forging solid connections that can boost your career. According to him, these are the people who can link you with potential employers to get promoted, recommend you or provide you with additional career resources you otherwise wouldn’t know. “So get your name out there and make sure those within your industry know who you are,” he adds. The writer also notes that it’s important to know the industry you are working in. With this, he explains that there are people who are interested to work in a certain industry but lack information about it and are not even interested in reading or knowing more about it. He hence recommends that for anyone to succeed in their respective field, they should spend time learning more about it. “An employee should always be eager to ask questions about the space they are based in, ask the manager and your colleagues, go to the field and meet new people. This will help you develop thoughtful insights about the industry and your company. And don’t be shy about sharing those insights,” he adds.
