We might be on the wind down to Christmas, but as the New Year fireworks fade, soon our thoughts may change to what we would like to achieve in 2017.
Over the break you might like to consider the steps you will take to advance your career. Here are just few tips to start the thought process:
- Be self-aware
Ensure you understand your current hard skills (eg knowledge and technical) and soft skills (eg communications, management, working with others), so you know what you need to work on.
- Create goals
What do you want to achieve? What short term or long term career goals do you have?
- Consider your current boss or bosses
Do you have a boss who supports advancement? If you don’t it’s going to be difficult to achieve what you want within your current organisation.
- Find a mentor
Reach out to someone whose career path you admire, and ask them to mentor you. They can be inside or outside of your workplace.
- Get educated
If you need further knowledge or qualifications to advance, sign up for part time study. Put yourself forward for internal training opportunities.
- Speak up
If you have a supportive boss, discuss your careers aspirations with them and don’t wait to your annual performance review, although talk about it then too.
- Be passionate
Don’t just go through the motions at work, show your enthusiasm for what you do. If you are perceived to be just ‘plodding along’, you will be overlooked for promotion.
- Join up
Become a member of a professional organisation that meets regularly and will provide networking opportunities. Similarly, you may wish to volunteer for a community group, you never know who you will meet.
Remember, like anything worthwhile, it may take some time and effort to achieve what you want.
The New Year is a perfect time to reinvent yourself. If you don’t think advancement can occur in your current workplace, keep your eye on AgCareers.com during 2017.
Sonya Buck
December 23, 2016
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