However far you are into your career journey, it’s worth thinking about how you can take the next step and make things happen. Your career is something that evolves and develops over time, and for it to be truly successful you need to continuously put time and effort into it. But what does investing in your career really mean? And how do you do it?
Here are a few key ways in which you can invest in your career:
1. Reflect
Self-awareness is key, so make sure you are taking the time to reflect on who you are, where you’re at, what’s important to you and where you want to go. You can then set yourself goals, break them down into manageable chunks and review your progress in future.
2. Learn
Career investment also takes the form of seeking out learning opportunities. This isn’t just about investing money into expensive training courses. You can take part in free online tutorials or webinars, read industry-specific news and explore any learning and development opportunities that your current or future company provides.
3. Build relationships
A strong network of well-informed people is incredibly valuable to your career development. Regularly set aside time to engage with others virtually or in person. As you widen your connections within your industry, you’ll find that opportunities arise in unexpected places.
4. Cultivate your personal brand
Put effort into ensuring that, both on and offline, your personal brand gives a memorable and cohesive impression. If people have a clear understanding of who you are and what you do, they’re more likely to consider you for upcoming career development opportunities and feel confident reaching out to you to collaborate with.
5. Talk to people
Having the right conversations can help you work out where in your career to focus your energy. Your manager, academic tutor, course mates, or colleagues, can provide feedback to help you establish your strengths and areas you could improve. Alternatively, friends and family are a great sounding board and can offer a different perspective on your professional goals.
6. Find a mentor
Connecting with a mentor or sponsor can really boost your career progression as they’ll be able to provide you with a whole host of advice and resources. A mentor can share their professional knowledge with you or at the very least point you in the direction of those with the right know-how.
7. Take initiative
Trying something new is the key to growth, so if you want to advance in your career, it’s key to take advantage of the opportunities available. Whilst it might be outside of your comfort zone, putting your hand up for an upcoming project or challenge can open a number of doors to you.
8. Prioritise well-being
A successful career is all about balance, and if you aren’t looking after yourself then your progress may stagnate. In order to advance you need to ensure that you are also taking time to rest, relax and socialise.
Your career is an important piece of the jigsaw that makes up your life, so it’s key to continuously invest your energy in it. Taking a few simple steps can make all the difference in the long run, so start investing in your career today.
Self Development With Our Career Planning Toolkit:
This article has originally been published in our Career Planning Toolkit, our online portal featuring hundreds of key resources:
- There are over 450 video resources across 21 topics that you can access with short tutorials, and these include: assessment centres; interview skills, questions and answers; salary negotiating; self-development.
- In addition there are over 110 tutorials which are written templates, resources and guides covering topics such as self-development, self-employment and career management.
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