Beginning your career can be both exciting and terrifying at the same time. While most people develop an idea of the profession they'd like to pursue at an early age, once they've met the reality of the challenges in today's job market, it's easy to abandon the passions they once had.
However, becoming established in your career and regularly advancing can keep you interested and engaged. And it is definitely achievable if you have the right mindset and follow a few basic strategies. Below, we'll address some professional advancement tips you can use to make sure you stand out from other job candidates, and how you can continue to develop your career successfully.
Start to Network
Networking has become one of the most effective ways to get noticed by companies and plays an important role in your career advancement. Whether pursuing a career in healthcare, tech, manufacturing, or marketing, knowing how to network properly can afford you many opportunities and help you connect with other like-minded professionals in your field.
A recent survey shows that 85% of jobs are filled through networking, especially through professional social networking sites like LinkedIn. But LinkedIn isn't just designed for office workers and business executives. For example, medical doctors and nurses use the platform to connect with other industry professionals for their advice and expertise while further developing their careers.
Having a regularly updated LinkedIn profile has become a staple in the business world. Not only does the platform allow you to showcase your recent experience, skills, and career objectives, but it also makes it easy to apply to jobs and connect with recruiters and hiring managers looking for talent like you.
Take Career Development Courses
Becoming an expert in your field, design for example, can take time, as does getting promoted to higher paying positions. One way to advance this timeline is by taking college courses and training classes to improve your professional skill sets. Not only are these courses beneficial on their own and help you become a subject matter expert, but being enrolled in a training program shows a potential or current employer you're serious about your career.
However, not everyone can attend a college or earn a degree - and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Today, there are many ways to learn new skills without shelling hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition. Career development courses, workshops, and subscription-based professional education classes offer individuals the opportunity to pick up and develop new job skills without breaking the bank.
Improve Your Resume
A common mistake that aspiring business professionals make when starting their career is thinking it's acceptable to use the same resume for each job they apply to. Past job descriptions and summaries should be customized so they apply to each company they're submitted to. This will be the first section most employers review on your resume, and keeping it in line with what they are looking for will increase your chances of getting an interview.
Referencing work history may be challenging for professionals early in their career as they have little experience to refer to. In this case, it's never acceptable to lie. Rather, it's important to highlight other important credentials, such as your professional affiliations, special language skills, education, volunteer work, and any career development courses you're currently taking or have finished.
Professional advancement can take patience as you gain the skills necessary to climb the ladder in your field. By following these basic steps, you're sure to get noticed by employers while building a strong foundation for a long and successful career.
This guest post was authored by Brooke Faulkner
Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.
