10 tips to improve career development

Here are our ten top tips to improve your career opportunities & development:

Tip #1: Start by determining what you want to achieve. Without a goal clearly defined and stated, it will be difficult to reach anything.

Tip #2: Once the goal is determined, it is not yet time for action, but time for planning. The questions you need to answer now are: how can you make sure that you will eventually reach that goal and what is your strategy to reach that objective

Tip #3: Brainstorm about the different ways to reach your goal. There is also more than just one way to get where you want to be. If you think about all options. it will allow you to have a back-up plan in case plan A does not unfold as expected.

Tip #4: When the forum is right, proactively discuss your career goals with your manager and create a career development plan.

Tip #5: Participate in or lead challenging projects in your company: use your expert knowledge to propose innovative solutions to a current problem that the company faces. Then drive the solution to completion. This is very effective to raise one’s profile.

Tip #6: Consider your work-life as a career instead of a succession of jobs. This will maximise your opportunities as it will give you the overview of where you are, where you want to be and how you can ensure that you get where you want to be.

Tip #7: Explore areas for development in your company: would they be ready to sponsor the course you need to attend, if you convince them with a clear plan (defined in step 2) and a good return on investment? Is there any other internal program that can help you achieve your goals, such as mentoring or placement?

Tip #8: Benchmark against other professionals in the same discipline: who else is out there? What are their skills, experience, knowledge? How do you up your game to be the first in line when there is a job opening? A great way to do that is to attend Document Control courses and events.

Tip #9: Update your knowledge: always make sure that you have an up-to-date understanding of your profession and its challenges

Tip #10: Develop your soft skills: those skills that allow you to successfully interface, communicate and convince.

And you, what are your top tips to improve career opportunities?

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