Do you feel like your career is stuck in a holding pattern? If you’re not moving forward the way you’d like, there are several things you can do to help move things along. There’s no need to stay in one place if you’re itching to launch forward. Try these strategies to reach the next level of your career.
Enroll in Online Classes
The internet offers a wealth of resources for learning new skills. If you can target a specific degree that will help you advance your career, you can enroll in college online as a convenient way to go back to school at any point in your life. If you just need to brush up on a few specific skills, however, you can often do so completely free of charge. There are many free online classes that will help you expand your skill set in everything from computer programming to online marketing. Even a short course can help you increase your knowledge base and improve your work performance.
Expand Your Job Responsibilities
If your job satisfaction just isn’t what you want it to be, consider tweaking your responsibilities in the workplace. Speak with your manager to find out if you can take on some new tasks. Maybe you can assist with a project in a different department to get a broader understanding of your company’s structure and industry. Perhaps you can create a project of your own by researching new technology that could benefit your business.
Don’t give in to the grind if you’re not getting what you want from it. Instead, speak to your higher-ups to find out how you can expand your role in the company to something more satisfying.
Explore Volunteer Opportunities
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Volunteering is a great way to enhance your skill set. You can learn to build homes with Habitat for Humanity, get a better understanding of psychology and mental health issues as a volunteer crisis counselor, or enhance your sales and marketing skills by seeking donations for a nonprofit.
If you want to polish up your people skills, you can do this with nearly any volunteer activity where you work with others. You can gather fascinating stories from the elderly in an assisted living facility, learn more about the plight of the homeless in a local shelter, or build connections with patients and their families in a hospital. The options are nearly endless when it comes to ways that you can give back.
Try a Second Job
Taking on another job just might give you the experience and insights that you need to take your whole career to the next level. There are many positions that are flexible enough to fit alongside your current job. Selling Amway products gives you a flexible schedule along with the ability to learn new sales strategies backed by a dedicated team. Crafting products to sell on Etsy will give you the chance to learn more about everything from product photography to online marketing right alongside your craft of choice.
Over time, you may find that your side job has the potential to become a full-time career of its own. Testing the waters with a part-time gig is a safe way to find out if a different industry is right for you before you leave your longstanding day job.
Join a New Group
Joining a group will help you make valuable connections with others in your area. You can join a Meetup group, begin attending religious services, or join the book club at your local library. What you do is less important than who you’ll meet. You may find that someone in your new network can tip you off to hot new job openings or give you a much-needed recommendation somewhere. Building strong connections with others is a valuable strategy for enhancing your life.
If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, there are several ways that you can jumpstart the process and make sure you get where you need to be. Set your sights on a fresh career goal, and see which of these strategies will help you on your way.
