I was able to embark in great conversation with a Subject Matter Expert in career advancement recently. During that conversation he shared some great gems that are useful for the changing times in Corporate America. Individuals have to now be innovative with their approach to excel in their career and be able to bring value to the company. Below I have listed the awesome career advancement tips:
1) Have your act together.
If you are currently performing at the “Meets Expectations” level or below then chances are you need to step it up in order to even consider getting promoted. What could potentially put you over the Meets Expectations level is accepting a stretch assignment that needs to be completed within your department and in return successfully completing it. Also, don’t be afraid to ask management for additional projects and tasks. For instance, I plan on working with my manager so that I can get assigned to an audit that I am able to lead even though that is a senior level responsibility.
2) Stay relevant with the industry that you are in.
To do this it’s required to READ, READ and READ!!!!!!!! It’s important to be abreast of what is going on within the industry in order to be aware of how things may affect the business and your role.
3) Understand the business you are a part of.
So many roles within companies require you to touch and work with other areas of the business. It’s vital to know about all these areas so that you are able to be knowledgeable and have the ability to formulate a sound opinion if needed.
4) Always be in networking mode.
A great rule of thumb was shared: “If you are more than five connections away from your next opportunity then you have more networking to do.”
5) Do the research.
For the next level that you are advancing to make sure you have the necessary skills, experience and sometimes even the certification required. For instance, within the auditing field I work in it is necessary for me to obtain a Certified Information Systems Auditor Certification. Also, job shadowing can serve as a great research mechanism and create the opportunity to witness first hand a little of what you should expect within the role.
6) Share your relevant career goals.
If you are looking to advance within your career then career goals have to be vocalized to your management team. Work with them to critique already established goals and to also ensure they are in alignment with the business.
From the conversation that took place it allowed me to bring full circle what is required in order to have successful career advancement. To have success in any field it is imperative to be a life-long learner and always stay ready for the next opportunity that may come your way. It is equally important to have the mind frame of a careerpreneur when it comes to successful career advancement. A careerpreneur establishes and maintains their career with an entrepreneurial mindset. This type of individual creates value which can be done by understanding the business and knowing the industry they work in. Along, with holding themselves accountable for the success or failure of their career, having a career plan and adapting to change. One thing that is constant in the workplace is change and if you are not willing to change and embrace it then you will slow down the progressiveness of the business and inhibit growth within yourself. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines advancement as progression to a higher stage of development. In order to go far in your career it is imperative to do the work, stay positive and keep an open mind to reach new heights.
Rashida Thomas serves as an Internal Audit Consultant at CVS Caremark where she is responsible for assessing controls around the security, availability, and integrity of the organizations IT environment.
She also serves as an Adjunct Professor and Community Externship Coordinator at Richland College for the Pharmacy Technician Program. Through this connection with the college she is able to mentor and assist students with their pathway to working in a retail, hospital or independent pharmacy setting. She received a B.S. in Soil, Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a M.B.A from Lindenwood University, M.A. in Management and Leadership from Webster University and is currently a Certified Pharmacy Technician. Rashida currently blogs at thecubelifechronicles.com to bring exposure to things she has seen or encountered in the workplace and also offer tips that will help individuals excel in Corporate America.
Image Credit: www.ise.ufl.edu
