Trying to climb the proverbial ladder of success within a competitive career landscape? You definitely aren’t alone. Standing out within a crowd of talented, hard-working individuals is no easy feat. In an effort to aid you in your journey in reaching the top, here are five tips for boosting your career.
Further your education
A firm knowledge of your industry is certain to send your confidence levels sky-rocketing, which is the main reason why countless professionals are constantly striving to further their education any opportunity they get.
While there are simple, online courses to sign up for and webinars and podcasts to tune in to, there is also a chance to complete a postgraduate degree on a part-time or full-time basis if you are really serious about taking bigger steps toward reaching your career goals. For example, if you are in the nursing industry, you may want to consider registering for TWU nurse practitioner online nursing programs.
Give your resume some TLC
While it is definitely the content of your resume that matters most when it comes to landing a job, how your resume is structured can make a sizable difference too. There are a number of resume best practices that you should follow if you are to maximize your chances of creating a great first impression and getting an interview. Here are a few to keep in mind:
♦ Keep it short and sweet. In most instances, a one-pager will more than suffice.
♦ Proofread it, then proofread it again. There is nothing more destructive than spelling and grammar errors in a resume. Not only does it put your abilities into question, but it also demonstrates that your attention to detail isn’t all that great. Proofread your resume plenty of times before sending it out, and ask a friend or a relative to give it a once-over too.
♦ Format it as a PDF. Sending your resume to potential employers as a PDF comes across as much more professional than sending it as a Word document. Saving it as a PDF also means that there is no risk that the potential employers may be seeing a different styling, format, font etc.
♦ Label it correctly. Never save your resume using a generic file name. You will want to make 100% certain that recruiters and HR managers will be able to find it again in the future simply by searching for your name. As a result, it is much better to label it as FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf.
♦ Make it eye-catching and easy to read. The easiest way to do this is to use an already-existing resume template. There are hundreds of thousands available online, many of which are free to download.
Network
As most professionals have all heard before, it’s who you know that could mean the difference between career success and stagnation. This is why it is so important to put yourself out there as often as you can and network with as many experts in your field as possible. Building relationships with your peers and, more importantly, with those who have more experience in the industry than you could lead to a multitude of opportunities throughout your career.
A wonderful tool to use to your advantage when it comes to networking and keeping track of all of your blossoming business relationships is LinkedIn. Did you know that the popular professional social media platform boasts over 575+ million users, with more than 260 million monthly active users?
Focus on improving your EQ
In many cases, it won’t matter how intelligent you are or how much experience you have under your belt if your EQ (or emotional intelligence) isn’t up to scratch. A low EQ means that you are always likely to fall short. Business owners and managers need to know that they are able to rely on you to maintain a sense of calm and focus even when put under pressure before they will feel comfortable enough to promote you above your colleagues. In the end, how productive you are or how long you have worked there won’t make a difference if you are known for emotional outbursts or crumbling when the going gets tough!
The great news is that there are various ways in which to improve your EQ. The first step is to make sure that you are getting a hearty combination of exercise, meditation, brain practice, and coaching to encourage clearer thinking, innovative problem-solving, and logical decision-making. From there, you may also want to:
♦ Train yourself to listen deeply
♦ Utilize an assertive communication style
♦ Respond instead of react in an effort to avoid unnecessary conflict
♦ Practice self-awareness
♦ Do your best to maintain a positive attitude
♦ Learn how to receive criticism and use it to make improvements
Get involved in other aspects of the company you work for
While honing your skills in terms of your current job description is obviously of utmost importance when it comes to career progression, a good way in which to demonstrate your dedication and ambition is to develop your skills in other aspects of the company you work for. For instance, if you work as website designer at a digital marketing agency, you might want to team up with a colleague who specializes in website development or copywriting and ask them to mentor you while you return the favor.
Your employer is certain to appreciate the fact that you are so dedicated to your career as well as to boosting the shared skillset within the company as a whole.
Ultimately, making progress in your career revolves around your ability and persistence to continue improving not only your knowledge, your skills, and how you portray yourself but also your personality traits and mindset. The more positive you feel about your progression and the more focused you are on achieving it, the more likely it is to take place. Couple positive thinking with plenty of hard work, and you will have a foolproof recipe for success regardless of the industry or the company in which you are currently employed!
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