4 ways to take charge of your career growth

1. By:
Vacancies.ae

2.  Employees would like to think that decisions are made
based on merit, but managers are imperfect people, and
they often make assumptions. For instance, the manager
may think, “Jane probably doesn't want that Senior Trainer
position because it requires lots of travel and she has little
kids at home.”
 Now, this assumption could violate gender discrimination
laws, but that doesn't mean that subtle discrimination
doesn't happen. So, speak up. When an opportunity comes
up and if you're interested in it, say something to your
manager and express your interest.
 Keep in mind that you probably have skills and interests
that your boss knows nothing about. She won't know about
them either if you don't tell her about them. If you have an
interest in a new area or an interest in managing people,
let her know. Otherwise, she may pass you up for an
employee who did speak up.

3.  Sometimes a colleague gets promoted, or a new hire
comes in for a job you never even knew existed—a job you
would have applied for if you'd known about it. How can
you get these hidden jobs? By speaking up sooner rather
than later.
 This doesn't mean that you need to bombard your boss
with information on how you'd like to proceed with your
career growth, but it does mean letting her know the paths
you're interested in. Your annual review is a great time to
talk about these things.
 As you're setting your goals for the next year, talk about
what you want to do and ask for assignments to projects
that will help you achieve this. If you want to manage
people, tell your boss and ask her to make you the team
leader on a project. If you want to move from tax
accounting to auditing, ask if you can work with any
special projects or cross-functional teams.

4.  People often talk about the importance of having a mentor, and
this is one of the reasons. Find a coworker who currently has the
position you're targeting and ask, “What do I need to do to end
up where you are?” Listen, and do those things. Some of that
training may include work experience, and some may come from
classroom learning.
 For instance, some jobs will favor people with MBAs. If you want
that type of job, you'd better go back to school. If you want to
become a high school principal, your bachelor's degree in math
education probably won't cut it. If you want to become the head
of HR one day, you might want to pursue an SPHR certification or
a master's degree in HR or an MBA.
 Some career paths don't require formal certifications or degrees,
so spending your time on them is great for your brain but won't
necessarily help your career. That's why you should ask people
who are doing jobs that you think you'd like.

5.  Your boss is focused on her own career and hitting her
performance goals. Your HR department is focused on legal
compliance and filling the top spots. You? Focus your
attention on your own career growth.
 You need to speak up and act accordingly. Don't ever sit
back and wait for someone else to notice that you'd do a
great job in a higher level position. Volunteer for
challenges. Things like serving on special projects and
cross-functional teams open you up to new possibilities.
 Also, remember to build relationships outside of your
direct line of reporting. Always work hard and be pleasant
to coworkers. If you have an interest in moving to a new
department, work on developing a relationship with that
department head.
 Ultimately, your career growth is your responsibility. Make
sure you take charge.

6.  https://www.thebalancecareers.com/taking-
charge-of-career-growth-4126639
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