Is your career stuck in a rut? Have you stopped enjoying your job or are you struggling to gain a promotion and move forward? This happens to most of us from time to time, and many people lose hope and give up. They stop pushing themselves and start going through the motions, knowing that they’ll never get promoted. Or, they give up completely and spend their whole working life moving from job to job every time things get tough. Never really getting anywhere and never settling down into a role they love. Don’t make these mistakes, instead, try giving your career a kick-start.
Take a Look at Yourself
Presentation is everything. One reason that you’re being overlooked might be that you don’t look the part. If your managers don’t see you taking pride in your appearance and looking after yourself, how can they trust you to do a good job? Looking scruffy, or poorly presenting your work can make a poor first impression, and it can also knock your self-confidence.
So, take a good look at yourself. When we first start a new job, we wear our smartest suits, spend time grooming and stand tall. All of our work is perfectly neat and well presented. But over time, things can slide. Get back to basics and brush up your appearance.
Learn More
Another thing we do when we start a new job is rush in and learn as much as we can. Over time, this stops. We know what we need to, so we stop seeking extra knowledge. But, things change all over the time. Your industry will have developed, and your knowledge needs to as well. Apply for a training course and read as much as you can. An alternative can be taking a course like masters in mental health counseling. Even if it’s not directly related to your industry, a course like this can give you more options and help you develop skills like organisation, time management and communication.
Make Your Intentions Clear
One reason we get overlooked when it comes to promotions is that our superiors don’t know what we want. If they think you just see your job as a short-term role that’s going nowhere, they won’t think of you or put their time and effort into training you. So, sit down with your direct superior and make your intentions clear. Tell them where you want to be and where you see yourself in five years. Then, ask for their help and advice. Make a plan together that will get you to where you want to be.
Then, apply for things. If a job comes up in your company, even if it’s a few steps ahead of where you are now, apply for it. You might not have much chance of getting it, but it will highlight your intentions, give you interview experience and help you gain some insight of what they are looking for.
Go Back to Basics
Read your job description. Are you going it? Take it back to basics and strip everything down. Before trying to move forward, make sure you are doing your core job as well as you can.
How are you kick-starting your career this year?
*Collaborative post.