Take Control of Your Own Career Development

You probably don’t want to have the same job for your entire career – you want promotions and raises. If you want these things, you can’t just be complacent with your current skills and talents, you have to work on your career development.

A lot of companies will help their employees develop their skills by encouraging them to take classes or get certifications as part of their annual goals. Don’t wait for that though – take the initiative and sign up for a course that will help you develop your skills.

6 Ways You Can Take Control of Your Career Development

There are several ways you can take charge of your career development and grow in your career.

Set Career Goals

If you don’t know where you want to go with your career, it will be hard to determine what classes to take or certifications to get.

So, decide what your career goals are, then sit down with your boss to discuss them. Your boss will be able to help you figure out what you need to do to reach your goals in the company. So, you’ll be able to develop a timeline and figure out when you want to hit different career milestones.

Review Requirements for Your Dream Job

After you know what your career goals are, it’s important to know what’s expected of your dream job. If you know the requirements, you’ll know what skills you need to work on and whether you need to go back to school to be seriously considered for that job.

Job Shadow

If there’s someone in the company with the job you want or is in the department you’d like to work with, shadow them for a couple hours every week (if your boss will let you). Shadowing someone will help you figure out exactly what the job entails and what skills you need to develop.

Attend Classes & Training Sessions

Taking a class or some training will help you expand your knowledge and add new skills. It will also show your boss that you want to be the absolute best at your job.

Find a Mentor

A mentor (who’s not your boss) will help you figure out what your next steps are and will encourage you to keep going.

Volunteer for Challenging Projects

If you only do your job duties, then your company will probably never seriously consider you for a promotion. You have to show the company that you’re willing to put in the extra work. So, ask your boss for more responsibilities and volunteer to take on challenging projects. It will show that you’re willing to put in the work necessary to advance your career and help the company grow. (If you’re willing to help the company grow, then your company will be willing to invest in your development).