Five Tips for Better Career Growth

Getting into a job is easy but converting a job to a career and growing with it is a completely different ball game. Some of the strategies for career advancement remain constant and independent of the type of job or domain. You could be an IT professional or a media person. In finance or any other line, some of these strategies remain important tools to grow well in the career. You might be in a job where your growth is not picking up, or you may be looking for a more satisfying career, the following tips would always come handy.

Having a mentor

There is always someone who knows better and likes to help and from whom we can learn the ropes. Some large organizations have formal programs for mentorships where suitable mentors are selected and junior employees are assigned to them. These mentors act like role models to provide guidance, and motivation, focusing on helping the mentee or protégé to set their goals, develop contacts within and outside the company, as well as teaching them communication, presentation, and leadership skills, among other things. If you want to take the next step in your career and your company has a mentorship program, consider taking part in it.
 
In case your organization does not have a formal mentorship program, there is no harm in asking the person you report to if you can learn more on the job. Most leaders are impressed with people who take the initiative to ask because it shows that you have the willingness and enthusiasm to learn new things about your job.
 
Look for people who are successful and who impress you, and in whom you find a role model. Go ahead and ask them for help, and you may be surprised that your such requests would be taken positively, and they will be happy to support you.
 
One piece of advice is to not try to have more than one person as a regular mentor. Advice for different tasks from different people is ok, but an effort to have multiple mentors can lead to confusion. Secondly, the mentor would also not be motivated to really be a mentor if he or she finds you knocking on multiple doors.

Every new person can be a new opportunity

We never know from where we are presented with a new opportunity. Opportunities have a tendency to knock on the doors suddenly. Recognizing an opportunity is a step toward success. Similarly, the people we meet throughout our lives may be the carriers of new opportunities for us. Whether you are paying your way through law school working at a restaurant, or whether you are in middle management in finance or in a sales and marketing role at a Fortune 500 multinational, cultivate the habit of viewing everyone you meet as deserving of your courtesy and consideration, because that person might be just the one who can help you advance your career.
 
Even if they aren’t, developing a reputation as a professional, respectful, and an all-around pleasant person to be around is always a positive trait in any employee – it may even be one that will make you stand out for a promotion in your present job.

Don’t be scared of continuous learning

Nothing lasts forever, and that’s true with any skill. Today’s things become a thing of the past tomorrow.
 
Learning continuously is the key to any career. In fact, many times, it is all about unlearning and learning. It can be very advantageous to have the courage to try something new, even if the thought of doing it is a bit daunting at first.
 
It could involve something like learning about new technologies and skills. Having new skills in your portfolio will give you confidence and new strategies on how you can advance your career. Also, brushing up on soft skills and management skills is a must as we grow in the hierarchy to avoid the Peter Principle stopping our growth.

Do not try to stay in the comfort zone

Having to sacrifice things you enjoy doing is a drag, but if you frame it within the context of advancing your career and life, it helps to put the sacrifice of time and money into perspective. The tendency to remain in the comfort zone can act as a poison to career growth. Putting as much free time as possible into acquiring new skills, getting new professional certification, or accepting an unpaid internship in order to learn a whole set of new skills? Assuming you have enough to live on but you have to cut back on luxuries like a vacation or a new vehicle, or other indulgences, choosing your career over the fun is the kind of sacrifice that will be more than likely to pay off in the long run.

It’s never too late

 The strategy of “it’s never too late” means just that – no matter what stage of your career you’re at, it’s never too late to change your career path. Doing something you enjoy in itself is career advancement. Oprah Winfrey famously said, “Find a way to get paid for doing what you love. Then every paycheck will be a bonus.”
 
When you have a job you love, it motivates you and keeps you happy. So, persist and get out of your comfort zone. It will bring you opportunities that you might never have dared to dream of.
 
Ever wanted to make a career change? Check out niche specialist job boards, such as Employment Japan, to connect with employers looking to hire tech talent in Japan or even employers wishing to hire Japanese-speaking bilinguals.