Climbing The Career Ladder: How To Stay Relevant And Valuable In 2016
Many of us are constantly thinking about how to climb the career ladder and achieve that next career goal. Whether your career is not going quite how you expected, or you’re successful and looking to aim higher, it’s important to take action now to stay on top of your game.
Here’s a list of some things you can start doing today to develop yourself and get ahead in 2016:
Regular training: Companies are constantly assessing employees on their knowledge and skills, so it’s important to keep up-to-date. Skills shortage and a lack of candidates is a key issue in the recruitment world. Turn this to your advantage by going that extra mile and going on regular training courses to update your skills and increase your employability.
New skills will keep you relevant, valuable and ahead of the curve. If you were on the fence about taking that 4-week online coding course, now’s the time to go for it.
Read, read, read: Taking regular courses and/or training is one thing, but developing your market knowledge and staying on top of what’s trending is another. Make sure you are on top of the changes taking place in your industry - or you could be seen as someone who lacks expertise.
Some of the best ways to stay updated is by reading professional journals, online publications and attending webinars. There are also lots of industry events and conferences you can attend to stay informed.
Learn from failure: Everyone makes mistakes. But not everyone learns from those mistakes. Being able to share how you used a bad experience to learn and grow as a professional is a story everyone loves to hear.
Build connections: If you are attending an event, make the most of it by expanding your network and learning from the experts. Don’t shy away from introducing yourself to people and connecting with them on professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn. Remember, we live in a world where your network is your net worth (career wise!). So focus on growing your network and leverage it when you are on the lookout for new opportunities.
I hope these tips will help you develop yourself and move ahead in your careers. If you have anything more to add to this article, please drop me a line attania@wearefutureheads.co.uk.