Get Your Career Back on Track

Does this sound familiar? You’ve spent the last several years working hard but never seem to get ahead. You’ve avoided the corporate ax, all right. You’ve seen others come and go and, at times, you’re grateful just to have a job.

But there are some moments when you cannot help but admit that you feel let down. Why aren’t you getting ahead? Here are 7 tips to get your career back on track and moving forward.

1. Take a hard look at where you are.
Are you getting paid a salary that is commensurate with your contribution to your company? Can you point to a list of successes that somehow added to the company bottom line or mission?

If not, start looking for opportunities to quickly upgrade your skills or take on more responsibilities or solve an ongoing problem. It’s important to be seen as a valuable asset – an indispensable employee.

2. Take a hard look at where your company is.
Perhaps your lack of progress is tied to the adverse conditions affecting your organization. How is your department doing? How is the rest of the company doing? What are its short and long term prospects? Is it time to move on?

3. Identify any wrong turns.
Have you taken a job in the past that somehow took you off into another direction, away from your goal? Figure out how you can use that detour to your advantage. Start plotting you way back to the main road.

4. Assess what you’re selling.
Update your accomplishment file. Look at it from the perspective of a potential employer, even if that’s your present employer. What skills and achievements do you bring to the table? How do you compare to your peers and more importantly to the emerging leaders? What do you need to do to enhance your competitiveness?

5. Strengthen inside contacts.
In selecting them, think primarily about two types. Those who can best promote your interests and those who are in a position to know where the potholes and opportunities are in the organization. It’s valuable to have strong ties with people in both groups.

6. Gets your name on projects.
The first thing is to get appointed to or even volunteer for projects, task forces or short term assignments. Focus on work that will give you quick results and visibility throughout the organization.

7. Strengthen outside contacts.
Keep in touch with people in your own and related fields. Go to lunch with colleagues, attend conferences and join professional groups. Bring back information to your boss, try out new techniques that can impact your department, or even give a class on something you’ve learned.

Career Success Tip

It may become apparent that your best opportunity lies outside your present organization. It may be time to move on. However, look before you leap. The grass may, or may not, not be greener someplace else.

Well it’s time to stop thinking about it; it’s time to start doing something about it. What are you going to do to get your career back on track?

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?