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If you ask someone in the workforce what job satisfaction means to them, you’ll often hear it defined by a variety of factors, including culture, pay, vacation time, and room for growth; in this instance, we will be focusing on the latter. Nobody wants to feel like they aren’t able to move up in an organization. It makes you feel unappreciated and can quickly result in you becoming disgruntled and disengaged. What many don’t understand is that advancement has to do with a lot more than just being good at your job and that opportunities often exist but you have to proactively seek them out. Today, we outline some of the best ways for you to seize the opportunities available in your company.
Define your own expertise
The type of work you take on, and the way in which you present yourself, will decide how others see you and your role. Take some time to reflect on areas where you have the most passion/knowledge for and learn to see yourself as a professional with respect to that particular expertise. If you grow to see yourself as a marketing expert, for example, and constantly describe yourself and take on work in that capacity, then others will grow to view you in that light as well.
Don’t allow yourself to flounder in a role where you are merely performing up to standard. Find ways to acquire work or assignments that allow you to take full advantage of your greatest strengths and really allow you to showcase your unique value as an employee.
Seek high profile projects that allow management to notice your strengths
A good work ethic is a useful characteristic to have, but it won’t do much for your career if it isn’t directed towards something that the company is paying attention to. Talk to management and co-workers about important projects coming up, and express your interest in contributing; however, to build the necessary trust between you and the company, you will first need to…
Study your workplace culture
Not all success can be attributed to the quality of your work or the depth of your expertise. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of whether people like working with you or not. Keep an eye on common informal practices and expectations outside of your regular duties.
Network within the company
Very rarely do we accomplish anything completely on our own. At some point, we all need someone to help open a door for us to walk through, and with that in mind, it is important to cultivate a list of allies at your workplace. These are individuals who will go to bat for you when it counts and who will vouch for your ability to perform and support your desire to be given more important tasks. They can also be people to whom you can express a desire to take on new roles. Your allies will inevitably be a diverse set, running the gamut from co-workers to superiors.
Acquire additional training
Working on more important assignments may require you to learn new skills or expand your current knowledge set. Take time to acquire new certifications that are relevant to your desired role and inquire about training programs offered by the company.
Landing your dream role or moving into a desirable management/executive position is all about being active. Promotion tends not to happen if you wait around passively for someone to recognize your hard work. By actively seeking out ways to make yourself visible to the higher-ups, you create opportunities for your career to keep growing and evolving.
Lance | Contributing Writer