Take control of your professional growth this year

Career growth is neither something that happens overnight nor something that happens to you without intentional effort. If you want to grow in your career, you must take initiative and put a considerable amount of effort into it. Thriving in the modern job world requires passion and commitment.

No matter where you are in your career, you can take charge of your professional growth. Here are a few actionable tips that will help you out in your career advancement journey:

Set clear career goals

You can’t advance in your career without having a clear idea of what you want to achieve as a professional. It’s important to create both long-term and short-term career goals for yourself. One of the easiest things you can do to determine your career goals is to picture where you see yourself as a professional in 5 years and list down what you need to do to get there. Give each goal an achievable timeline and break larger career goals into several small ones.

Keep learning

Continuous learning is essential to thrive in the modern job world. As technology is constantly evolving, educating yourself on the changing landscape will help you stay relevant as the times change. Investing in continuous learning is going to help you achieve success in the long run. So, what can you do to upskill yourself?

• Enroll in courses
• Earn a certification
• Read industry-related publications
• Attend workshops, seminars, and conferences

Expand your network

Your professional network will give you a leg up in your career every time you need their help. That is why you should invest in forming and maintaining lasting professional relationships with the right people. Your professional network is what leads you to new opportunities, mentorship, and new ideas. In the modern age, networking has become even easier with tools such as LinkedIn. Now, you can build a professional network without even leaving your house. Attending industry events, optimizing your LinkedIn profile, and cultivating meaningful relationships with coworkers are some easy steps you can take for successful networking.

Find a mentor

You can accelerate your career growth with the help of a mentor. They provide guidance for you by sharing their experiences and knowledge. Whenever you have a challenge in your professional journey, your mentor can help you navigate it better. Your mentor can be any person who has done well in their career. Most professionals stick with their professors, teachers, managers, colleagues, external advisors, and family members for mentorship.

Take on new responsibilities

Do you want to scale up while in your current position? Then, you can start by taking on additional responsibilities to show your manager that you are ready for the next step in your career. Accept projects that are a little bit outside of your comfort zone. Taking on additional responsibilities will help you build new skills, expand your knowledge, and improve your capacity for handling extra work. Here are a few things you can do:

• Proactively suggest solutions for problems you see in the workplace
• Volunteer for cross-department projects
• Take charge during team activities

By?Resume Mansion