How to Advance in Your Chosen Career and Get To The Top

There is no hiding the fact that the higher you climb that career ladder, the harder the job gets. The expectations increase, the responsibility and the pressure are immense. Some people thrive on all this while others simply crumble.

We are all made of different stuff with passions and ambitions in such diverse areas, it makes us all different and unique.

But the higher up you go in your career, the scarcer the jobs become, or certainly, the demand for them increases. That means if you want a slice of that big pie, you have to work hard to stand out and be seen.

With that in mind, here are some top tips to help you land yourself that big career goal.

Image Credit: Pixabay – CC0 license

Know your Value  

Do you find it difficult to sing your own praises?  Often we can be our own worst critics, negative about our achievements and attributes. But knowing your value not only to the role but also the potential business you could be working for is vital.

Sometimes it can be hard to even get a foot in the door for a face to face meeting. The first impression you get to make could be simply your resume. So spend some time investing in the words that will make you jump out from the paper it is typed on and stand out from the rest.

You need to highlight your experience and expertise. And document your previous job experience and tailor it to the role you are seeking out.

Sometimes you may find that your expertise is needed on a one-off basis or contract basis and so looking at working out your expert network rates could be a key transition for your new role.

Of course, it can be hard to transfer what you have in your head onto paper, so seek out help from experts in creating an executive resume. It’s worth the investment. It could be the reason a company decides to see you or seeks out someone else they feel more suitable for the role.

Networking – Your Biggest Advocate

We all know that often it is not what you know but who you know so networking could be an ideal tool when it comes to seeking out that new career move. Senior executive positions can often be filled by people knowing other people suitable for that role.

You may have heard the term headhunted. Which doesn’t sound as brutal as you may think. This is where someone is seen to be ideal, and they are approached for a job rather than the other way round.

You’re not going to get headhunted if you don’t put yourself out there though. To be on someone’s radar it’s important to network at events within your industry and on professional platforms like LinkedIn.

Be Authentic and Real

We all know someone who appears to be too big for their boots, and too often they can be seen as huge successes.

But what is the real story with them? In many cases, they are often found to be unreal and talking the talk but not walking the walk.

Don’t be that person. If you know your stuff, great.  You’ll get a chance to prove it soon enough.

Be real and stick to the truth. You can do your job, and you can do it well, and no doubt, you have the experience and attributes to back that up.

Which of these tips best showed you how to advance in your career?  Or do you have some tips you’d like to share that you gathered on your way to the top?