How to Increase your Career Potential

Do you feel as though you aren’t as employable as you could be? If so then now is the time for you to do something about that. If you take steps to help yourself today then this will make it much easier for you to get the job of your dreams, so you can take a positive step forward with your new career direction.

Get Busy on Social Media

One of the first things you need to do is get busy on social media. Love it or hate it, social media really does have a huge impact when it comes to the employment sector. If you are very experienced on social media platforms and you can build a really strong following then this can greatly increase your chances of getting a job, or at least, moving up the ladder. When it comes to your social media profile, you also need to make sure that everything is up-to-date. Even if you are working right now, you need to make sure that you are getting notifications from agencies and that you understand which prospective companies are looking for new hires. If you can do this then there’s no reason at all why you can’t come out on top.

Keep your Resume Up-to-Date

Whenever you do a training course, or when you take on more responsibility within your current role, you need to add them to your resume. It can feel overwhelming to try and do everything from scratch and at times you may even go as far as to forget key details. If you keep things going though then you will soon find that it becomes easier to get everything done. Some practices when building your resume include adding some links to your social media profiles, as well as ensuring that your email address is up-to-date. Make sure that you use the email you check the most so you don’t end up losing out on communication. If possible you also need to create a .pdf document as this will look way more professional than one done in MS Word.

Brush up on IT

Even if you don’t intend on working in IT, you do need to make sure that you have a set number of skills. If you can do this then you will soon find that you can become much better at everything. Always be true to your skill set and add the names of programs you are really used to using. If you can, make sure that you don’t put down things that you aren’t too good at, and that you don’t make the mistake of making out like you’re better at something than you actually are. If you can keep things like this in mind, it will help you to get the result you are looking for. If you want to get better at a program then taking a course is one way for you to go about that. You can sign up with MyExcelOnline.com if you want, as this is a great way to get the training you need.

Believe In Yourself

If you don’t believe in yourself then this will cause you a number of problems in the future. You need to make sure that you are not setting yourself up for bad experiences if possible, while believing that you are understanding of the requirements you’re going for. Carry yourself with a degree of confidence and make sure you are as determined as you can possibly be. If you can make sure that this is the case then there’s no reason at all why you shouldn’t be able to come out with a job that suits you.

Always be Learning

It’s too easy to become complacent as time goes on. You may find that your skills plateau and that you end up struggling more than you need to. If you can, schedule some time each day so you can learn something new. If you can do this and if you can put just one hour to one side then it’ll help you far more than you might think.

Be Proactive

Another thing you need to do is be as proactive as possible. As the old saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. Those who are proactive and who are able to get the jump on things will soon find that they get more opportunities. A bit of a proactive attitude can help you to have a much more positive work ethic and you may even find that you end up getting more out of your job search overall as a result.

Smarten Up

First impressions really are important, so looking sharp is always a good thing. If you can look  sharp around the office then this will help you out a lot in the long run. You never get a second chance to make a good impression at the end of the day, so make it an account and be mindful if you can.

Network

Next up, networking. If there is an industry or a profession that you have a great deal of interest in then you need to begin networking online. If you can, join forums and groups in the country too, and ask questions. At the end of the day, you will soon find that you can connect with others this way and that it becomes much easier for you to get to where you need to be. If you can network properly then you will be the first to hear about any jobs that may be coming up and you may also be able to start your own blog or forum. This gives you the chance to establish yourself as being an industry expert which is great to say the least.

Ask for Feedback

The fastest way for you to learn would be for you to ask for feedback where you can. This gives you a new perspective on the areas where you might be able to improve your skills. Asking  for feedback also gives you the chance to build good relationships with both colleagues and managers. A willingness to learn helps to show that you are willing to explore more opportunities and that you are willing to put in the work to grow. The more you can set yourself apart from your colleagues, the better so try and keep this in mind.

Identify your Strengths

Receiving feedback gives you the chance to identify your strengths and your weaknesses. Feedback from your colleagues and your managers is important but at the same time, so is self-reflection. You need to know whether or not your efforts are effective in achieving your goals. Once you have identified all of your weaknesses, you can then revisit your goals and incorporate them into your development plan. If one of your goals is to be a manager then you need to have good communication skills, for example. If you can keep things like that in mind then you will soon find that it becomes easier for you to get the result you want.

Utilize your Contacts

Networking, at the end of the day, is a very powerful tool. You will be able to connect with your colleagues and the people who work in your industry. You can also work with people who might be senior to you. By taking the time to learn from their experiences, you can be exposed to new perspectives while making sure that you always have  the opportunity to get the help you need. Networking is great as it helps to increase your total visibility too, so keep that in mind.

Find a Mentor

Mentors are great as they can give you a bit of direction based on your experience. They also have a solid idea as to what you have to do in order to progress further. If they can give you guidance on subjects such as this then you will soon find that it becomes easier for you to get the result you want and that you can also overcome any obstacles with ease. If you need a bit of help when it comes to your career direction then you need to plan out where you want to be and how long you believe it is going to take you to get there. By doing this, you can then create some steps that you can take and this will help you quite a lot.

Little things like this can empower you for the future too, so you need to keep them in mind. Of course, if you need some extra support then one thing you can do is make sure that you take steps to find people who can. Talk with your boss and see if they can connect you with anyone who may be able to be of assistance, as this is the best way for you to get the result you want out of your new career venture. If you need additional support, remember that help is in fact out there.