How to give your career a boost: 9 career tips you can try today

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10th Oct 2019

If you’re feeling frustrated by your job, you’re not alone. A study in the US found that 73 per cent of women are looking to change careers because of low pay, lack of progression, not believing in their company’s mission and burnout, among other factors. 

Autumn is the perfect time to think about your career, not least because there are more job postings in October than any other month, according to LinkedIn. But how do you decide whether to stay in your current position or seek opportunities elsewhere? And what’s the best way to make progress to achieve your goals?

Here, speaks to three experts for their advice on how to boost your career this autumn. 

1. Assess your current position 

It’s important to reflect on what matters to you. “Start by asking yourself the question: ‘When have I felt the happiest at work and why?’” says Heidi Coppin, chief people officer at MatchesFashion.com. “A career boost may not always mean a bigger role; it may mean having greater autonomy or having a better work-life blend. Once you have identified any themes, this will help you to articulate your career goals more clearly.” 

Working out which aspects of your job you don’t like is also crucial. “People say, ‘I’m really unhappy at work’ but they can’t pinpoint why,” explains Jen Rubio, co-founder, president and chief brand officer of Away, a luggage start-up valued in May at $1.4 billion, just four years after launching. “Think about when you’ve been the most frustrated, and dig into that. Once you’ve identified the root cause of those things, that’s what you have to try to solve.” 

2. Identify your strengths and weaknesses 

While assessing your current position, it might become apparent that your strongest skills don’t match your role or that you have a gap in your skillset. “A lot of people go into jobs that they’re really not suited for,” comments Amy Smilovic, who founded fashion brand Tibi in 1997 and is regularly asked for career advice via her Instagram account. “You’ve got to figure out what you’re passionate about — does it match with what you’re really good at? How can you improve in areas where there are gaps?”

Coppin adds: “360-degree feedback from a wide range of people is a great way of raising your self-awareness. Once you’ve identified what areas you may need to develop to get to the next level, proactively seek out opportunities to grow these skills or behaviours.” 

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3. Do the basics well

Setting ambitious goals is all well and good, but it’s important to ensure you’re getting the basics right. “Show up on time, make sure you’ve got amazing follow-through skills, [and that] you’re honing your organisational skills,” says Smilovic. “You’ve got to walk before you run; that gives you credibility within a company.” 

4. Be proactive 

“The ones who get noticed [at Tibi] are those who are very proactive and are able to identify opportunities or potential problems,” Smilovic explains. However, it doesn’t necessarily just mean helping out when needed. “Some employees think, ‘I’ll just pitch in all the time and this is going to be recognised.’ And really, the employee who gets ahead is the one who pitches in three times on something, and then comes to me and says, ‘You might have some resource needs [or issues] in this team.’ [Otherwise] I’m not aware of it.” 

5. Be prepared when asking for a promotion

If you’re asking your boss for a promotion or a pay rise, make sure you’re able to explain why you deserve it. “You should [go in] with a list of your accomplishments; what you’ve contributed to the team, and to the company,” Rubio advises. “Practice with a friend before you have that conversation [with your manager] so that you go in feeling really confident.” 

6. Think twice before jumping ship 

While it’s no longer usual for someone to stay at the same company for 15 or 20 years, Smilovic advises thinking twice before moving on to the next opportunity. “I find people will not stay around long enough,” the designer says. “There’s a huge tendency for people to jump around, and all of a sudden they’ve priced themselves into a category where they actually have no real depth to match the price tag.” 

Staying at the same company for that bit longer can help with your personal growth. “You need to really learn and get great at something so that when you go to the next job, you’ve got something even bigger to offer,” the designer continues.  

7. Look for career development opportunities

If you are looking for a new job, ensure you scope out what career development opportunities the employer offers, as this will mean you’re more likely to progress at work. “At Away, we really care about people’s professional development,” says Rubio. “We want to make sure that even if you’re [in] the same role that you’re learning new skills. Not enough people think about how they’ll continue to grow once they’re at a company.”

8. Make connections beyond networking events 

Even if you’re not seeking a new job, try to make connections in your day-to-day life — you never know when they’ll become useful in the future. “People go on sites [such as] LinkedIn and to networking events — that’s not how you really get to know people,” Smilovic says “You only really get to know people by going to things where you aren’t wearing a name tag.”

9. Seek inspiration outside the office 

Ultimately, feeling inspired will help you get ahead in your career. “There are so many free resources out there beyond your day-to-day role, from podcasts to TED talks online,” says Coppin. “You just need to look for them and, most importantly, invest your time in them.”