When was the last time your thought about advancing your career? This morning? Yesterday? Last Week? … it’s probably been quite recently as this is the natural thought process for anyone with ambition and wanting to move forward and improve their prospects.

You may feel that in order to move forward professionally you will need to look outside of your workplace, however I would suggest that you consider your development prospects within your current company. Not only could you challenge yourself in your current role there may also be further opportunities within your company in other roles, enabling you to advance yourself in a position where you have already a significant amount of knowledge.

Key to CRCP (Current Role Career Progression)

Enhancing your skills set

This isn’t just about improving yourself to perform your role to the best of your ability, this is your opportunity to challenge your ideas of your role and ask what you can do better, what you can improve on and what additional skills can you gain to enhance yourself. Think outside of your skills set, how about considering your skills with people by developing your style of leadership – imagine how differently you will be considered if it’s seen you have looked at your skills and taken it upon yourself to improve these outside of all expectations!

Broadening knowledge in your chosen field

Are you the best you can be, would your colleagues consider you to be the ‘go to person’, the person who has the answers? If not then you could broaden your knowledge through learning and training and be that person …. be the first person colleagues think of when they need guidance, advice and answers.

Recognising your comfort zones

By acknowledging situations which make you less comfortable you are able to step outside of these boundaries in order to personally develop. Comfort zones are there to protect us, but are not necessarily good for us and inhibit your personal growth. Push yourself into situations where you wouldn’t normally feel comfortable, for example chairing a meeting or making a presentation to your team you will gain in confidence and the sense of achievement will enable you to continue to build on your success.

A great quote to have on your desk, from Neale Donald Walsch “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”

Having a clear vision of your goal

What do you need to do to get to where you want to be? Mapping out the steps of how you will get from where you are to where to you want to be by utilising career planning tools is a great way to plan your progression. Visualise and rehearse success… this will lead to you experiencing success. Knowing where you are, where you want to be and how you will get there will enable you to see each step as clear progress towards your goal.

Challenging any perceived limitations within your current role

Take full responsibility for your actions and give more thought to how you can do more, offer ideas and encourage others. Step outside of your job title and job role and consider what actually needs to be done rather than what you are doing, pushing the limitations of your role and going above and beyond expectations. Making a valued contribution to your organisation will set you on the road to progression.

Furthermore my advice to you would be to stay relevant, as things change be at the forefront of this by being a positive, forward thinking, progressive personality within your organisation. Continue to move forward and progress by developing yourself, your skills and attitude to become an inspiration to yourself and others.

Written by Jacky Stansfield,
Distnace Learning College and Training

www.distancelearningcollege.co.uk/corporate/

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