It is inevitable to grow in your career, but elevation of positions can still be in the same company. However, this requires you to capture the employer or manager’s attention at times. Your task is to make sure that you are recognised but also, open to endless learning. Moses Hakizimana, a business manager in a local restaurant, is of the view that skills and qualifications can make you a unique employee. He says, if there is something in the company you want to learn to do and you see an opportunity, grab it. For him, employers are impressed by employees that are eager to learn. In case of work training, you are assured of getting equipped with knowledge that will assist you at your job. “Take time to read and research more about your company and the field. It is also imperative to know the company’s goals and unique selling points, and also expand your networks. Get to know people in other companies and know how they got the skills they have,” he says. Hakizimana carries on that one should always look for means of growing in their career; for instance be willing to take risks and put yourself in challenging situations and seek solutions. This, he stresses needs a good learning environment as this entails having full focus on the learning, so it’s best to remove any sort of distraction to facilitate practice. Volunteer and contribute Sometimes it takes throwing the laziness on the side and take on other tasks that are even not part of your work or paid for. As long as you don’t fail to fulfil your own work, then volunteering either on a new project or helping some of your colleagues, is something that will expose you to learning more about the company, Hakizimana says. The business manager also notes that with volunteering, there is more engagement of employees thus creating greater productivity, employee satisfaction and morale. According to a study from Net Impact and Rutgers University, employees who say they have an opportunity to make a direct social and environmental impact at work report higher satisfaction levels than those who don’t, by a two to one ratio. Hakizimana explains that volunteering encourages teamwork, improves communication within the workplace, and leads employee retention and stronger internal culture. Attend company events “Absenting yourself during the company’s events whether simple social events or seminars, is a sign of unseriousness or can signal that you’re too busy to attend, a thing that may not impress your manager or boss. “Employers appreciate the additional time and effort you put into the company, perhaps it’s a time to meet and connect with people at all levels of the organisation. This is a chance to learn from them,” he states. Speak up in meetings He also carries on that you can actually have high qualifications at work but people might not recognise you if you don’t participate in meetings or work discussions. ‘It is very easy to miss out on opportunities that can improve your skills. You need to figure out how to maximise your exposure to take up new opportunities when they arise.’ Offer new ideas to the company Hakizimana explains that you can walk to your boss and ask for suggestions on how you can add more value to the team, and find out about opportunities to raise your profile. This is a broad step and will show how committed you are to the company and how willing you are to make it better.
