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.
As the team member looking to take their career to the next level, what are some of your options?
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.
Having a sponsor in your organization, someone who is more senior than your own manager, can be a huge asset to your career. A sponsor, because of their seniority, can champion you for opportunities that come up at "their level." A sponsor will be less likely to spend as much time with you as a mentor, so you'll want to be particularly cognizant of demonstrating your personal brand when you are interacting with your sponsor. Also, make certain that you voice your appreciation of your sponsor being such a strong advocate of your career.
Third, or individuals who struggle to find an industry, career path or role-specific mentor, it may also be valuable to consult with a professional career coach. Because career coaches provide career advisement as their full-time job, you are likely to find engagements are more directed and you achieve results more quickly.
Career Centers are a highly underutilized resource! Career Centers and their network of career counselors can provide effective career advice from career assessments to interviewing guidance. Even better, they can be more cost effective than a full-time career coach.
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.
Ultimately, even if you are not getting the career advice and guidance you would expect at your current organization, there are a plethora of career development tools and resources out that are available to you. The most essential thing is to take action - any action that will take you one step closer to achieving your career goals.
As the team member looking to take their career to the next level, what are some of your options?
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.
Having a sponsor in your organization, someone who is more senior than your own manager, can be a huge asset to your career. A sponsor, because of their seniority, can champion you for opportunities that come up at "their level." A sponsor will be less likely to spend as much time with you as a mentor, so you'll want to be particularly cognizant of demonstrating your personal brand when you are interacting with your sponsor. Also, make certain that you voice your appreciation of your sponsor being such a strong advocate of your career.
Third, or individuals who struggle to find an industry, career path or role-specific mentor, it may also be valuable to consult with a professional career coach. Because career coaches provide career advisement as their full-time job, you are likely to find engagements are more directed and you achieve results more quickly.
Career Centers are a highly underutilized resource! Career Centers and their network of career counselors can provide effective career advice from career assessments to interviewing guidance. Even better, they can be more cost effective than a full-time career coach.
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.
Ultimately, even if you are not getting the career advice and guidance you would expect at your current organization, there are a plethora of career development tools and resources out that are available to you. The most essential thing is to take action - any action that will take you one step closer to achieving your career goals.
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