7 Tips You Need To Know to Accelerate Your Career

I had a question from a recent post-secondary graduate. He had obtained an entry-level position in his chosen field and wanted some advice about how to kick-start his career.

1. Get help from a certified career development professional, if you need assistance with identifying your career goals, creating and or managing a career plan.
2. Commit your career goals to paper, this process helps make them real.
3. Create a timeline to achieve your goals including the specific steps for each time period.
4. Re-visit your career goals periodically, every 3, 6 or 12 months to assess how you are doing.
5. Identify any weaknesses you may possess.  Knowing what areas you struggle with will enable you to put supports in place to successfully achieve your goals.
6. Be a continuous learner, take the initiative to look both inside and outside your organization for skill building opportunities. Be willing to invest in yourself - time and money to enhance your skills.
7. Build relationships with other professionals in your field to share information, resources, and industry trends. Join professional associations and groups, find a mentor.

Career development is defined as " the lifelong process of managing: learning; work; leisure; and transitions in order to move toward a personally determined and evolving preferred future."

November 12 -16th is National Career  Development Week.  A good time to create and or reflect upon your career plan. By engaging in and taking responsibility for your own career development, you can achieve your goals!

Contact elaine@allycareersolutions.com for one on one career coaching.