Today is the day for you to start moving your career to the next level. What? It’s true. It’s your choice.
How can today be the start of my career? With everything that has happened in the past several months, how can today be opportunistic for me?
You are sitting back and wondering if your job is secure. You are wondering if you will get caught in the next wave of layoffs. You are afraid your employer may not need you or be able to afford to keep you moving forward. You are not sure how your employer views your value vs. your peers and others in similar positions. You are simply hoping to get through this without losing your job.
Well, that is part of the problem!
Now is not the time to sit back and hope that you are not the next one to get let go. Now is not the time to wonder if you are bringing value to your employer. The reality is you should have thought about that a long time ago. However, hindsight is always 20/20.
Now is your time to:
Demonstrate your real value
Perform at your highest level
Exceed your past results
Demonstrate other skill sets you have to offer
Express your willingness and ability to go above and beyond
Now is the time. It’s your choice.
So why is today the day to move your career to the next level? The answer is very simple…
You want to grow professionally
You want to learn new things
You want to make more money
You want to know your job is secure
And, your employer needs you to do all of these things
Employees are the key to success for every organization and employers know it. Now more than ever, employers are surrounding themselves with great employees.
The past several months has been filled with uncertainty, chaos, and vulnerability for both the employer and the employee. So where is there a silver lining in any of this? You and your employer have the exact same need. What does that mean?
You need your job and your employer needs your job to be performed better than ever. Show them you can do that. You are looking for ways to grow and your employer is looking for ways to do more with less. Your employer is strapped financially and must spread responsibilities. Now is the time to demonstrate other skill sets you have. Now is the time to differentiate yourself from your peers.
Do not sit back and wait for your employer to approach you. Do not wait for the opportunity to present itself. Do not sit back and hope things work out to your benefit. No… Go make it happen.
Where do you start?
First you must understand things do not happen overnight. Just because you are ready to make a 180° change, does not mean your employer is confident you can do it. Especially if you have not been that type of employee in the past. Just because you feel you have other skill sets to offer, does not mean your employer has seen you demonstrate them.
Start by improving performance in your current role. Give your employer reason to notice you. Keep in mind, your employer’s number one need is for you to perform in your current role. They are probably not interested in discussing new opportunities with you if you are not performing in your current role.
Separate yourself from your peers by your performance, not your words. Give your employer reason to notice you. Your employer is monitoring all areas of the organization. They will notice your improvements and results.
Ask for more. Be specific when you approach your manager. Know ahead of time what their needs are and ask for a small project. Share with them your interests, knowledge, and skill set. Ask for something small to demonstrate your abilities.
Do not show disgruntlement with your current position. Instead, show energy, interest, and positivity. Do not complain about your current role; doing so only puts you in a negative position with your employer.
When you get an opportunity, make the most of it. Even if the opportunity is not exactly what you envisioned, it is still an opportunity. You may not know all that your employer is considering, evaluating, and contemplating.
Act, work, and carry yourself like a professional. The needs of the next position are not the same as your current role. As you move up the corporate ladder, new skill sets are required. There are certain things your employer is always evaluating. These things include, good work ethic, integrity, honesty, performance metrics, communication skills, ability to work with others, and more.
Do not rely on or expect your tenure to advance your career or position within your company. Tenure does not always pave the path to advancement. It can at times help you, but it is not the number one criterion. Your employer is seeking very specific things for that position you have your eyes set on.
If you want to be looked at differently from your managers, give them something different to look at. Give them better results, give them more effort, give them something new, give them something different.
Lastly, do not expect anything, earn it. Be willing to work for it. Working for it does not mean going through the motions. Working for it means going above and beyond. Remember, it is not your employer's responsibility to promote you. It is your responsibility to get promoted.
Your employer is trying to determine their strategy moving forward. Their business has been shaken. They have financially taken a hit. They need and want employees who can help them get their business back to where it once was and where it needs to be.
If you feel your employer is not acknowledging your efforts, do not assume they are not noticing. They may very well be noticing everything and simply giving time to see if it is real, genuine, and sustained. Remember, your timing may not be your employer’s timing. Employers move when they are confident in the position they are moving and confident with the person they are moving with.
Start your career today. You are and will be the number one benefactor of your changed, improved, and increased efforts. When you do more, you learn more. When you do more, you become exposed to more and gain more exposure. When you do more, more opportunities become available. Do not sit back and hope, wait, and see. Take charge of your job. Take charge of your career. Give your employer reason to notice you.
If you are looking for something different, be something different. It is not your employer’s job to notice you. It is your job to get noticed. Begin today getting noticed for the right things and the right reasons.
Employers are surrounding themselves with great employees. Be one of them.
Today can be the first day of your career. It’s your choice.
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