To ensure that your career path is progressive and you keep improving your skills and income, having a career progression plan is important. You may increase your ranking in the same company or move to a new company to work in a higher level position.
What is career progression?
Career progression is changing jobs to reach the position you desire within your career. You can move forward through promotion, finding new opportunities, alternative employment or new challenges. Career progression has no limitations, with many aspects contributing to the change of positions.
Selected professions have a clear career path, which can help individuals reach their desired rank or salary expectations. That is why it’s good to understand your industry and what you desire to make an informed plan on the career path you desire.
Our Tips for career progression
1. Make a plan
Creating a plan outlines your career path from where you are to where you want to be. When you make a plan it keeps you focused and encourages you to work towards your next career step. Planning allows you to identify your goals based on how you want to shape your career. Once you’ve identified your end goal, find out where you are in relation to that. Doing so will make it easy for you to monitor and gauge your progress.
2. Know your industry
Ways of working change everyday, if you are looking to progress in your career you will need to learn every day to become an expert in your industry. Use technology to equip and prepare yourself with the tools and knowledge to improve your performance.
3. Improve your skills
If you’re looking to compete for top positions, you need to be ahead of your competitors! Improve your skills to preform tough duties, that the majority of people wouldn’t be able to at that level. Your employer is likely to reward the person who shows the ability to preform better at a higher position. Ensure that you keep time to work and exceed your goals.
4. Stay motivated
When you get to a position that earns you more, don’t stop pursuing your progression goals. If your employer doesn’t support your progression in your preferred direction, you may want to choose to move companies. Your progression and goals should not be limited to your current employment! Instead, you should focus on improving yourself and your skills by finding new opportunities.
5. Network
Networking is an effective way to progress within your career, it allows you to connect with people through simply attending meetings. You can start by connecting with people in your company or in the same industry. Here you can share skills and knowledge with one another. Knowing people in your industry can also be helpful.
The Importance of Career Progression
- Gives a sense of purpose
As you progress in your career, you are likely to feel more motivated to work. This is because the new opportunity will make you feel relevant in your organisation. Working in the same position for a long time can become stressful and unhealthy. Progressing can help you feel more confident and self assured, reducing stress.
- Increasing your earning
Promoting internally eliminates the need for companies to conduct recruitments and orientation of new employees. This cuts out a cost for the company as they save on the recruitment process. You can take this opportunity to ask for a pay rise as you take on more responsibilities.
- Global Career Shift
Industry in the global market is changing and progressing. As trends in the market change, personal progression ensures that you remain marketable. It equips you with new skills to ensure that you meet the current industry demand.
