Developing your career through networking and experience
Monday February 15, 2010
Career development and the pursuit of the promotion is what drives some many people working today, yet with everyone looking to advance their careers, what is the best way to get the senior positions you want and stand out from the crowd? There are several tools people can use to improve their own standing within a company and make themselves suitable for career advancement. These include networking, mentoring, training and additional skills development.
Networking
Networking is a crucial tool for anyone wanting to progress their career and really climb into senior positions.
Networking means making contact with people working within your desired jobs industry and maintaining that contact for the purpose of advice, recommendations and even as a referee. Without even knowing it, you may already have an extensive contact list. Compile a list of all current contacts, both business and personal, especially those associated within the industry. Once you have established your list of contacts, look at who provides the best possible links to the jobs you are pursuing, such as managers or those in senior positions, and seek their opinions ranging from advice on the jobs industry, their own role and the companies they know within the industry.
If you find your contact list somewhat lacking, then consider joining associations and industry groups to network with other professionals and key contacts in the industry.
After speaking with these people you should be able to ascertain what skills and attributes best suited for the jobs you are after and what, if any, training you require.
Find a mentor
A mentor is always an excellent idea to help develop your career. Statistics show that people with a mentor are more likely to get promoted and report greater job satisfaction.
Mentors provide advice, have the benefit of experience, are a good sounding board of ideas and know people within the industry. Mentoring helps develop skill sets and adapt a management style, great if you are after a management promotion.
The ideal mentor is someone with a great deal of knowledge and experience in the industry who can introduce you to all the skills and people who need to know to develop your career. Within your own business, networking organizations, industry associations and university alumnis are great sources of mentoring leads.
Volunteering and work experience is also an excellent way to meet people within the industry, even mentors.