Nearly two-thirds of employees cite being dissatisfied in their current roles because they do not see opportunities to develop and grow professionally. And with the current economic situation, many managers can't seem to find the time to help develop members of their team beyond their current roles.
So, if you are searching for opportunities to grow and develop professionally, what resources are available to you?
One of the simplest, cheapest and most effective methods is to get a mentor. It is most common to find a mentor who is several "levels" ahead of you in a comparable career path. This gives you the chance to ask that mentor very specific and targeted questions about how he/she progressed in his/her career and what he/she learned in each role. Your mentor will also be able to provide guidance on skills, credentials and associations that you may need to acquire.
Getting sponsor can be a great method for career advancement. Sponsors are typically several levels more senior than you in the org chart. Because of their position, sponsors will advocate for you and your career when opportunities arise at their level. You will likely spend less time with your sponsor than with your mentor, so you should be even more respectful of the time you spend him/her. You should always articulate your appreciation for how supportive he/she has been of your career.
Finding a sponsor or a mentor can be challenging. At the time of life when individuals have the knowledge and experience to be meaningful mentors and sponsors, they usually have obligations outside of work competing for their time. For individuals who struggle to find an industry, career path or role-specific mentor, you may want to consider a consultation with a career coach. Since career coaches primary job is to provide career guidance and accountability, you are likely to find meetings with them are more focused and you achieve results more quickly. Additionally, because you pay them, you won't feel like you are constantly asking them for favors, without being able to give something back to them.
If you have had difficulty to find an ideal mentor and cannot afford a traditional career coach, you may want to consider local career centers that can provide guidance for you at little to no cost. Typically services will range from career exploration to resume preparation to interviewing practice.
If you have graduated from a college or a university that has an established alumni association, you should investigate their career development programs. Alumni programs typically will have career resource centers whose services range from remote/virtual career webinars to in person or virtual one-on-one career counseling sessions.
At the end of the day, even if you feel stuck in your career development in your current role, there are a wealth of career development resources that are available to you. The most critical advice I can give you is to just take one step that moves you closer to your goal. Do it. Right now!
So, if you are searching for opportunities to grow and develop professionally, what resources are available to you?
One of the simplest, cheapest and most effective methods is to get a mentor. It is most common to find a mentor who is several "levels" ahead of you in a comparable career path. This gives you the chance to ask that mentor very specific and targeted questions about how he/she progressed in his/her career and what he/she learned in each role. Your mentor will also be able to provide guidance on skills, credentials and associations that you may need to acquire.
Getting sponsor can be a great method for career advancement. Sponsors are typically several levels more senior than you in the org chart. Because of their position, sponsors will advocate for you and your career when opportunities arise at their level. You will likely spend less time with your sponsor than with your mentor, so you should be even more respectful of the time you spend him/her. You should always articulate your appreciation for how supportive he/she has been of your career.
Finding a sponsor or a mentor can be challenging. At the time of life when individuals have the knowledge and experience to be meaningful mentors and sponsors, they usually have obligations outside of work competing for their time. For individuals who struggle to find an industry, career path or role-specific mentor, you may want to consider a consultation with a career coach. Since career coaches primary job is to provide career guidance and accountability, you are likely to find meetings with them are more focused and you achieve results more quickly. Additionally, because you pay them, you won't feel like you are constantly asking them for favors, without being able to give something back to them.
If you have had difficulty to find an ideal mentor and cannot afford a traditional career coach, you may want to consider local career centers that can provide guidance for you at little to no cost. Typically services will range from career exploration to resume preparation to interviewing practice.
If you have graduated from a college or a university that has an established alumni association, you should investigate their career development programs. Alumni programs typically will have career resource centers whose services range from remote/virtual career webinars to in person or virtual one-on-one career counseling sessions.
At the end of the day, even if you feel stuck in your career development in your current role, there are a wealth of career development resources that are available to you. The most critical advice I can give you is to just take one step that moves you closer to your goal. Do it. Right now!
About the Author:
If you are interested in learning more about climbing the corporate ladder visit http://www.squidoo.com/how-i-created-a-successful-career-development-membership-site.
No comments:
Post a Comment