You’ve earned it: after years of hard work, your employer finally awarded you that well-deserved promotion or raise. Or, perhaps as a small business owner, you’ve experienced career success as a result of the incredibly long hours you put in each day.
Whatever the case, success today doesn’t necessarily translate into success tomorrow. After all, we need to be able to adapt to constantly changing environments, situations, and external factors (such as the pandemic). To thrive in your career, you’ll need to adopt a growth mindset using these three strategies.
A.B.L.
A.B.L is an acronym for “Always Be Learning.” While perhaps not the most grammatically correct phrase, it drives home the point that we should all be lifelong learners.
In fact, a love of learning is the first of many healthy habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to set the stage for career success. (P.S. Some of the other healthy habits I recommend are to get a good night’s rest, set aside time for daily exercise, and know when to quit each day.)
Lifelong learning can take on various forms. Some of those include online options. You can learn the basics of just about anything you want for free using YouTube. Beyond that, there’s LinkedIn Learning (formerly called Lynda), SkillShare, and Udemy. Each has a variety, of course, options to pick from.
Other options to help you “always be learning” include enrolling in courses via your local post-secondary or trade schools, specialty organizations that offer certificates in your chosen profession, and even on-the-job training through your employer.
And of course, one of the best ways to learn something is to jump right in and volunteer to do it. If your employer has a vacancy in a position you have an interest in, see if they’d be willing to let you try it out. You may end up discovering the next phase of your career success.
Build career resilience through networking
Most career professionals have one of two opinions about networking:
They love it and even thrive on it;
They utterly hate it.
Networking can be difficult, I admit. Building connections via trade shows or conferences, especially if you’re an introvert, can be incredibly difficult. Here’s the thing, regardless of your personality, career resilience can be boosted through a robust network of associates, co-workers, and business connections.
For example, let’s assume you’re a senior-level web developer at your organization. As you build new websites for clients, you’ll eventually need to reach out to web developers at other firms, specifically if they are the ones who last built your client’s current website.
This may sound strange at first, but hear me out: no web development company expects the websites they build to last forever. Technology changes and business needs evolve. While you hope that your clients will always come back to you for their next website, practically speaking, it’s not always a sure thing.
So, if you have questions about the specifics of the prior web build, your best resource will be the web developer at that other firm. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them to ask questions. This, in turn, is a simple way of networking with other individuals in your profession.
Now, assume your company eventually downsizes or outsources your position. Rather than blindly submitting resumes, you can instead reach out to your contact at the other firm to see if they have any openings.
While this is a simple example, the basic concept is this: the more people you know through business connections, the more career resilience you’ll build — and the easier time you’ll have finding another job if necessary.
Be proactive with your career
If you’re already in an "always be learning" mindset, and you’re continually building connections with other professionals, then the next logical step to continue your career success is to proactively manage it. Develop a list of long-term and short-term goals with actionable steps to move you along towards those goals.
Next, focus on building your personal brand. This can include everything from your management style to the way you write on social media to even the clothes you wear. Branding builds an image of you in the minds of others and helps paint a picture of who you are and what you can offer them.
Finally, shift your attitude towards the future. Each challenge you face can be an opportunity to learn and grow. The more you grow, the more career resilience you’ll have. The more resilient you are, the better career success you’ll experience.
.
These 3 strategies are your keys to success
Your career is in your hands. Take control of it by adopting a learning mindset. Find ways to increase your skills and knowledge while at the same time growing your network connections. Recognize that you’ll face challenges on the job. Reframe those situations as opportunities to further build both your personal brand and to push you closer to your eventual career goals.
If you’d like some help implementing these three strategies, I’d love to speak with you. Contact me HERE and I’ll schedule a time to connect with you!
Comments