There’s a difference between a job and a career, though most people aren’t aware of this. A job is something that is temporary; it’s something that changes like the weather. A career is something that’s permanent. Your career defines who you are and how you live your life. If you don’t go out of your way to make sure that you boost and improve your career, then you will struggle financially and with other aspects of your life.
This article will present nine tips for boosting your career so that you can take control of your future:
Pursuing Qualifications
If you want to boost your career, then why not take an online course? Extra qualifications can make you much more attractive to employers. It’s possible to take online courses in anything really. You can also get very prestigious degrees online, like master’s degrees and PhDs. You don’t have to go to a physical university to get a degree. It’s possible to get specialist degrees, like Master of Human Resource Management online, as well as degrees in computing and other areas of business. The best part about online courses is that you can take them from home while working. This lets you show your employers that you are committed to excellence and improvement.
Listen to Podcasts
Another very effective way of improving your knowledge and building upon your career is to listen to podcasts. When it comes to podcasts and career-building, you have two options. You can either listen to podcasts that are created by experts in your niche so that you can learn more about it, or you can listen to podcasts that are made exclusively to help people of any industry advance their careers. The internet’s not short of podcast applications, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one. Make sure that you research your chosen podcast’s host so that you can be confident they are experts.
Reading Books
An alternative to listening to podcasts is to read books. You can either order books directly to your house, or you can read them in PDF format online. Alternatively, you can purchase a Kindle (or a similar device) and download and read books on that. Reading books is a great way to improve your vocabulary, increase your IQ, and learn more about the subject that you are reading about. If you are going to purchase and read books, then you should make sure you are reading the work of experienced and qualified authors.
Online Lectures
You can also watch online lectures. TED Talks are a good example of online lectures. You can find them published on most of the internet’s video streaming platforms, though their biggest audience is on YouTube. The best part about online lectures is that they cover a range of different subjects. You’re bound to be able to find some kind of lecture covering your industry or niche. Online lectures are also usually free because they are published on video streaming platforms. If you are going to watch them, then as with the other things listed here, make sure that you research them.
Webinar Participation
If you use forums or chat rooms dedicated to your industry or niche, then you should be able to learn about webinars that are taking place there. Alternatively, you can follow social media pages and groups that discuss your industry. You should definitely be able to learn about webinars and online courses on social media pages because the course and webinar organizers often use them to advertise. Webinars are usually free, although if they are being hosted by some kind of society or fraternity, then you might have to pay for access or to join their group.
Attend Conferences
Societies and fraternities also hold conferences, usually with a view to improving the attendee’s knowledge of the subject which the conference is covering. Conferences are rarely free, but they can be very cheap. The reason that conferences aren’t free is that the conference’s organizers have to pay for catering and the venue. Despite the cost, conferences are a great place to go if you want to learn more about your industry. In addition to learning more about your industry, conferences can also help you to network with people, which can in turn open doors for you.
Find a Mentor
If the company that you work for is very large, then you should be able to find somebody that’s willing to mentor you. If you can’t approach them on a personal level and ask them if they would dedicate some time to mentoring you, then you could ask your manager to help you to find a mentor. It’s even possible that your manager might agree to be your mentor, as long as you have a good reputation at work and work hard. If you are lazy and don’t commit yourself 100% to your career, then it’s unlikely that anyone will be your mentor, so make sure that you improve your performance if it’s lacking before looking for a mentor.
Follow Influencers
Another very effective way of improving your career and learning more about your industry is to follow influencers on social media. Influencers are social media personalities, usually with huge audiences, sometimes exceeding a million people. You can also sometimes find influencers on platforms like YouTube, though they are mainly on Instagram. Influencers give you an opportunity to get a glimpse of what success could look like for you in your industry. They can motivate you and help you to improve. You could even reach out to them and ask them for tips.
Open Dialogue
If you want to boost your career, then you need to be sociable, committed, and hardworking. Make sure that you open a dialogue with your employers and colleagues. Networking is absolutely essential. The person working on the desk next to you today could be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company tomorrow. By opening dialogue and being as friendly as possible, you will forge connections that could benefit you for the rest of your life.
Boosting one’s career can be difficult. It requires dedication, determination, and commitment. If you want to boost your career then you need to follow this article’s guidance and implement the suggestions that have been outlined here.