As far as your career progression is concerned an integral part is goal setting, be it short term or long term. It is akin to chalking out the entire list of milestones waiting to be accomplished in the upcoming weeks, months and over the course of a calendar year. The process of setting goals goes a long way in organizing and shaping your career thoughts, at the same time it lends focus and credence to your work and aligns it to the direction you want to steer your career in the future.
Track Your Progress
Now come to think it, is mere setting of goals enough on your part. Well some additional effort is required from your side in the form of actually tracking your progress as you inch closer to your goals, say landing a job in Noida or Pune, otherwise the whole exercise would be rendered useless and would easily be forgotten.
Expand Your Skill Set
There are minor career goals and there are major career goals that you set for yourself, constantly monitoring them is the only guarantee for success. Perhaps you want to expand your leadership skills or grow your professional network; you are eagerly awaiting words of praise and encouragement from your colleagues and superiors. You may wish to learn more and help your team learn as well. In your quest to be an effective employee, you need to be well organized.
Develop Marketable Leadership Skills
If you started small and worked your way up you must be aware of the fact that upward mobility can take you so far and no further. At some point of time or the other you would have to take a conscious decision to seamlessly move into leadership and management positions. No matter what field you work in, start preparing to move into management role right from the very onset, acquire the necessary management experience. The best way to go about it is by taking advantage of every leadership opportunity that comes your way. Try and develop personal brand and leadership skills whenever the circumstances permit.
Make Your Efforts Count
It pays to periodically take stock of the progress made so far. For proper and effective networking, you need to make your efforts count by joining professional groups and networks, while at the same time never undermine offline and non digital interactions with colleagues and other professionals with whom you are not acquainted and never had the opportunity to interact.
Conclusion
If you really wish to attain your goals, you ought to take the team along with you, for this people need to learn from each other. Be open to giving as well as receiving help, it helps to get out of your self-absorbed state, don’t be so wrapped up in your own work that you miss the opportunity to learn and grow and your colleagues are bereft of your expertise. Take advantage of the umpteen online resources to foster a culture of learning and advancement where everybody grows.
