Tips to Advance Your Career
Whether you’re seeking a job right out of school or have a few years of experience under your belt, there are some basic practices that can help you advance in your career. From optimizing your online presence to improving your time management, there are many opportunities to better yourself and prime yourself for the next step in your career. Use these tips and tools so you can move into your dream role, gain the benefits you desire and provide the means to have a comfortable life.
There are so many opportunities to advance your career — are you ready to take action to get there? We’ll take you through each stop in your journey and share resources to help you dive deeper into each one. Check out these helpful and informative career tips!
Resume Tips
Your resume is arguably one of the most crucial contributors to a successful career. It is how your potential employer is first introduced to you — does your resume make a good impression?
This written summary of your skills, background and motivators should demonstrate your potential value to your next employer, as well as provide motivation to single you out over other candidates. Your future boss may be a busy person, and they won’t want to waste their precious time on someone who isn’t worth it. The new goal for your resume: Make them want to spend their time meeting you.
More resources on resume writing:
- How to Improve Your Resume According to Science
- How to Get the Job You Want: Building Your Resume and More
- What Your Resume Should Look Like in 2017
Job Searching
Once you’ve finished sculpting your impressive resume, it’s time to start showing it off. The hunt for a new job can be a frustrating process, but so very rewarding when you finally land the right role for you.
When you start applying to new jobs, make sure you keep track of your applications in a spreadsheet. This accomplishes two major things. First, you won’t duplicate your application by mistake, which can happen when a company posts their opportunities on multiple job boards. Secondly, you’ll know when you applied to the job and can better track follow-up emails. Take the initiative in your job search and don’t be afraid to chase the role you truly want!
More resources for improving your job search:
- Social Media Profiles While Job Hunting: What to Look out For
- How to Make a Career Change
- The Complete Guide to Job Hunting
Interview Process
The interview process can be the most nerve-racking part of the entire job search process. That’s why practice makes perfect. It’s so important to rehearse your skill set, research the background of the company and go over answers to commonly asked questions so you can come off as knowledgeable and confident.
More Resources
- 5 Things to Not Say in a Job Interview
- Introverts Guide to Job Interviews
- 13 Tips for the Perfect Phone Interview
- How to Improve Your Interview Skills
Your Current Role
Once you’ve landed the job you want, how to keep it and show your new boss they made the best decision? You may clash with your boss, get overwhelmed by a heavy workload or simply start losing motivation — no matter the challenge, you can overcome it!
More Resources
- Stress Busting Tips at Work
- How to Stick to Your Goals When You’ve Lost Motivation
- How to Prioritize Your Inbox
- 6 Types of Bosses (and How to Work for Them)
Promotions
You’ve come in with the right attitude, made big strides with your business and demonstrated the qualities of a stellar employee — you should be rewarded for your efforts. However, not every business is forthcoming with promotions, so how do you initiate the process? There are several ways you can get ahead without burning bridges in the process.
More Resources
- How to Get a Promotion (Without Working Longer)
- How to be Happier at Work (According to science)
- How to Be Promotable
Leaving Your Job
There may come a time when you don’t find your role as fulfilling as it used to be, you have no space to move up the ladder or you simply want a new opportunity. Whatever reason you may have for leaving your job, make sure you do it in the right way (and there is a right way).
More resources
- The Cost of Changing Jobs
- 4 Mistakes People Make When Leaving Their Job
- 10 Tips for Leaving Your Job Gracefully
Continuing Education + Planning
Sometimes the path you start on doesn’t quite lead you to where you had hoped you’d end up. Readjusting your course to a new career path can be challenging, especially when your skillset and experience are well rooted in another area. That doesn’t make it impossible though! There are resources available to you to help make the transition you want.
More Resources