4 Ways to Take Charge of Your Career Growth

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4 Ways to Take Charge of Your Career Growth

• By
• Vacancies.ae

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Speak Up When an Opportunity Arises

• 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.

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Speak Up Before an Opportunity Arises

• Sometimes a colleague gets promoted, or a new
  hire comes in for a job you never even knew
  existeda 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.

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Find Out What Training You Need and Pursue It

• 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.

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Remember, No One Cares About Your Career as Much
as You Do

• 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.

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References

• https//www.thebalancecareers.com/taking-charge-of
  -career-growth-4126639
• https//www.vacancies.ae/
• https//www.vacancies.ae/jobs/jobs-in-dubai
• https//www.vacancies.ae/jobs/jobs-in-abudhabi
• https//www.vacancies.ae/jobs/jobs-in-sharjah
• https//www.vacancies.ae/jobs/jobs-in-ajman