7 Things that Every Employee Must Do for Career Advancement

Many people see getting hired as the be-all and end-all of their efforts.  This is unfortunate.  Now that you have a job, the next best thing you should do is grow in it.  Really – if you’re working as a clerk right now, would you still want to be slaving away in the same job 5, 10 or 20 years later while your colleagues are getting advanced to supervisory and managerial levels?  Here are ways you can take control of your job prospects and pave the way towards a real advancement in your career:

Have an action plan.
This is basically an outline of what steps you have to take in order to achieve your career goal.  Write this on a notepad that you can refer to from time to time. 

To make achieving these goals easier, break them down into smaller ones.  If applicable, use deadlines and honor them.  If you wish to advance your career, you need to know where you’re going.  An action plan can show you how to get there.

Look for greener pastures but do your job well.
Maybe you’ve always wanted the job of an Operations Manager but got hired as a production worker.  How could you convince your employer that he ought to give you a promotion if you slack off or screw up in your job?

Before you even dream of a better position, show your employer that you can do your job and do it very well. 

Become more efficient.
Employers are constantly on the lookout for employees who are capable of helping the company meet its bottomline.  Learn time management and organize your work so you can achieve more in the shortest time possible without sacrificing work quality.  If you can save your company money by implementing more efficient procedures and means to do things at work, even better.

Build good peer relationships.
Your co-workers have a lot to do in your success and career advancement.  Be friendly, respectful and maintain a positive work attitude with colleagues.  A workplace with employees enjoying healthy business relationships with one another has been proven to boost morale and productivity.  Furthermore, this is a good way of building connections and support.

Get training.
If you never volunteer or join trainings offered by your employer, your growth potential will be severely minimized.  People don’t get to advance their careers by good intentions alone – they actually have to show they’re qualified.  And one way to get this qualification is to get trained.

How?  Volunteer for projects and assignments.  If your boss sends you to training, be happy and enthusiastic.  When you come back to work, write your boss a summary of what you have learned.  If training is not offered, ask politely or if you can afford it, spend for it yourself.  Just make sure you have the certification to show for it.

Document everything.
Keep a work journal that details your assignments and work accomplishments.  This will help you remember what you’ve done and how you have performed.  Include information such as title of the project, date it started, date it was accomplished, names of team members and results.  You’ll need this later come evaluation time.

You should also keep records of training certificates, memos, notes and letters of commendation that you may have received from your supervisor or manager.  If possible, get them on hard copy and kept in a separate file.  Although the HR department might have their own copies, it’s better if you keep a set of your own.

Do it now.
Don’t wait until inspiration hits you or when you or your boss is in a good mood.  Start now.  The earlier you begin preparing, the earlier you’ll be able to achieve your goals.  Remember that career advancement is not achieved by wishing alone.  You actually have to do something about it.