Keith Terry – Practical Steps to Advance Your Career

Practical Steps to Advance Your Career

As a culturally diverse executive intent on advancing my career, I used what I called my “seek-and-find” strategy.  Based on that strategy, below are four steps you can use to advance your career.

Step 1:  Seek a mentor.  Search internally for mentors in higher positions with enough organizational insight to provide direct and indirect counsel on your career. Doing so reduces the risk because you have internal guidance.

Step 2:  Seek ad hoc assignments.  Strategically seek extra work assignments or projects in areas you are passionate about and the organization has a need.  The goal here is to build your brand and relationships outside of your department.

Step 3:  Seek to review accomplishments from last year.  It is important that when talking with mentors and supporters in your network, you are casually informing them of the things you have accomplished. Celebrate your accomplishments and team successes because self-validation is very important to self-worth and job satisfaction.

Step 4:  Seek professional development.  It is vital that you know your strengths and weaknesses, and you are continuously improving on them. Hire a coach.

In sum, it’s up to you to advance your career, so be pro-active.