If you sense a lack of professionalism or a sense of unfulfilled potential in your workplace, it’s important to understand that you are not alone. Numerous people find themselves in a similar situation. However, if you are open to making a change, the possibilities for what you can achieve are limitless. Below are five tips to give you a boost and help you professionally.
Is your net-working? If not, expand your network.
Expanding your network is a great way for you to develop yourself as a professional. For example, one of the professional goals that I recently put into place was to engage more on LinkedIn – where I wasn’t before.
So, twice a week, I make it a point to post something career-related and of value and also connect with someone new. Because at the end of the day, there are a ton of benefits to networking.
Networking gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself to other professionals and it also provides potential career advancements. You can network by talking with colleagues and by building on these relationships. You can also take the time to network at conventions or by attending workshops.
Contacting people through business-related channels like LinkedIn can also help. Don’t be afraid to use social media either, as this can be a great way for you to meet new people within the same sector.
Focus on Transferrable Skills
As a professional Career Counselor, I talk a lot about transferrable skills in my presentations. Transferrable skills are essential abilities that can be used in several positions.
For example, if you have strong communication and teamwork skills from your previous customer service role, you can emphasize these skills when applying for a marketing position. You simply have to show how these skills from the previous position align with the new position that you plan on doing.
No recent skills? Start skill-building now!
Skill building is the process of acquiring and enhancing abilities, knowledge, and expertise in a particular area. To do this you can actively engage in activities, training, courses, or other education to develop proficiency and competency in a specific skill set.
Taking short courses is a great way for you to push yourself and to increase your skill set. You can do this for any industry. For example, if you work with a lot of cosmetics, you may consider a Botox certification. But for me, I recently chose a Digital Marketing certification.
Whatever certification you choose, know that it is a great way for you to stand out from the rest and it also gives you transferrable skills moving forward.
Mentorship Matters!
Another way to help develop yourself as a professional is to get a mentor, preferably someone who has done your current job. For example, since I work in higher education, my mentor is also in higher education, and in years past has previously done similar work as a Career Counselor. This is a huge benefit to me because she is able to provide meaningful advice and help me improve my skills.
Digital skills are a must!
Lastly, regardless of the work that you do, at some point, you will have to tackle a task digitally such as applying for a job online. Digital skills enable you to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving job market, opening up diverse career opportunities and increasing your employability. So it’s helpful to learn some digital skills that can help you on the job and be added to your resume.
Final Thoughts
With all of this in mind, here are five manageable tips that will help you develop yourself as a professional; learning digital skills, working with a mentor, building a skill set that is in alignment with your industry, networking, and focusing on the transferable skills that you do have.
