When you are a career-motivated person, you may want to feel as if your career is always headed in the right direction and that it is never falling by the wayside when it comes to your priorities. As such, if you believe that your career is not moving forward as quickly as you would like it to, here are some of the top steps that you should take to keep it moving.
· Make a Plan
The first step that you should take when you are anxious that your career is not progressing and that you are no further from achieving your goals than you were a few years ago is to make a plan. Making a plan can ensure that you can have a checklist of viable steps that you need to take to achieve your goals, and doing so can hold you accountable to your targets and can make sure that you do not lose sight of them or take your eye off the ball. This plan should include several short-term and longer-term targets, and these steps should be easy to achieve so that you constantly feel rewarded and motivated to strive toward success. You should also include an ultimate vision of what you want your career to be like at the end of the plan, as this can help to keep you focused and dedicated to the work that you are putting in to achieve your goals.
· Take an Online Degree
If you believe that a lack of education is holding you back or that you are not progressing because you have reached the end of the line of what you can achieve with the current education level that you possess, you should consider taking an online degree. Not only are online degrees perfect for those that did not go to university or college the first time around, but they can also be great options for those that want another qualification that can prove their value to employers, and that can allow them to specialize in the exact job that they are interested in pursuing. For instance, if you are stuck in a mid-level job and want to become the leader of your organization, you should consider taking a doctorate in leadership that can help you to learn the skills and techniques that you need to know to be the best leader possible for your employees.
· Update Your Resumé
You cannot expect potential employers to believe that you have progressed in your career in five years if you have not updated your resumé at all during this time. As such, rather than relying on an outdated resumé that does not contain any of the most important or relevant information, you should make sure to keep your career moving by updating this regularly and including all of the latest work and projects that you have completed. This will help potential employers see the current value that you could bring to their organization and can help you to find a job by showcasing your modern skillset. If you struggle to do this, though, you might consider hiring a careers advisor or using online software to help you to create an attractive resumé that your potential employers will be fighting over.
· Keep Networking
After a few months or years of networking, it can be easy to lose many of the connections that you have built over time, especially if nothing new is happening in your career. However, rather than lose sight of these connections, you must keep these up, as they are sometimes your insight into your industry and will be able to tell you of any opportunities that come up, even if, for the most part, your relationship with them is passive and may seem unhelpful.
· Do Not Give Up
It can be easy to give up on your career dreams if you have not made any progress for a few years. As such, you should avoid giving up on your career just because you do not instantly reach the top of your career ladder or find the position that you most want. Instead, you should continue to seek out opportunities, work on your projects, and contact people within your industry, as you never know when your big break will come and from what source. By continuing to work hard when others have given up, you will soon be able to get the job of your dreams and leave your competition for particular jobs far behind you.
