Welcome to the world of career advancement! Where the only constant is change, and the corporate ladder feels more like an obstacle course. But whether you’re aiming to climb said ladder or taking a leap into a brand-new adventure, breaking the process into bite-sized chunks is key. And this blog is here to do just that! So keep reading if you want actionable insights to help you confidently embark on your career adventure.
The Challenge of Career Progression
Let’s face it, change can be scary. And a lot of people can find it challenging trying to move up in their careers. Ever heard of The Peter Principle? It essentially states, do well at your job, get promoted, rinse and repeat until you’re hopelessly out of your depth. Sounds fun, right?
This, unfortunately, happens a lot in fast-paced, growing businesses where career growth happens faster than you can say the word “promotion”. But there’s more to it than that. Luke comments,
”This is a generalisation, but it often applies, especially in rapidly growing businesses where career progression outpaces natural tenure. But it also doesn’t take a lot into consideration.
Luke ToddCEO, Trainer & Coach
This principle indeed leaves out the magic of training, coaching, and mentoring. It also ignores individual motivation and the practice of hiring external talent for higher roles, leaving internal employees capped unless they seek opportunities elsewhere. Plus, impostor syndrome can sneak in, making individuals doubt their skills. Without development and feedback, people might feel like they’re not good enough. This is where external coaching comes in. It’s there to banish the impostor feeling and help you hit those career goals.
Start Off with Self-Assessment
Starting a new career or advancing in your current one can be confusing. But, as Maria von Trapp from “The Sound of Music” says, “Let’s start at the very beginning.” In this case, that means self-assessment. Job descriptions can sometimes feel like relics of the past, so instead, write up a detailed list of every single task you do. To get you started, answer some basic questions: What do you believe you’re getting paid to do? Write down every task, big or small. Now, what does your line manager think you’re here for? Make another list. Don’t forget to include all relationships, meetings, and interactions with your peers. If you’re a manager or leader, add in your team members too.
Now split these tasks, meetings or interactions into three lists: tasks that get you up in the morning, tasks that suck your energy dry, and tasks you’re just meh about. This exercise isn’t about removing any unwanted tasks from future roles. It’s to help you put a spotlight on your strengths and areas that would benefit from improvement.
Understanding Your Own Professional Boundary Framework
A great exercise you can do, regardless of your next career move, is the professional boundary framework. Here’s how it works:
- What is my job? Does this new/existing request fit into what’s expected of me in my role?
- Will it benefit or challenge me? Does this new/existing request add value to who I am or who I want to be?
- What do I actually enjoy doing? If I take this on, will it give me some pleasure?
If you answer “YES” to any of these questions, consider how you can take it on and excel at it. If you answer “NO” to all of them, pass it along to someone who might be a better fit.
For career progression:
tweak point 2 to also ask: Will it expose me to elements of the role I aspire to?
For career change:
Focus more on points 2 and 3 to ensure the new tasks align with your desired path and interests.
Unsure Of Your Next Steps, But Eager to Progress?
Many people don’t realise this, but there’s more than one path forward. The first question to ask yourself is whether you want to grow vertically or horizontally. In other words, do you want to climb the ladder or expand your skill set? Forget about salary for now, and let’s figure out what truly excites you about a job. Let’s take a deeper look at both.
Horizontal Growth
Getting better at what you do or adding new skills. For example, developers learning a new programming language or designers advancing their design techniques. If you’re passionate about your current role and want to become a superstar in that area, stick to your framework. If you’re itching for more variety, explore new but related skills.
Vertical Growth
On the other hand, this is all about moving up within your department. But if you’ve got unique skills from another field (like a CRM-trained customer service agent), why not aim for a role that makes the most of that expertise, like a CRM Coordinator?
Sometimes, though, you need a change of scenery. If your current role isn’t sparking joy, it might be time to think about shifting gears – or even take a step back – to find a department that better fits your style. Once you’ve found the right fit, you can start thinking about your next moves to push you forward.
Remember, growth is constant. If one path doesn’t fit, learn from it and move on to another. Your journey is all about continuous learning, exploring and evolving. All you have to do is keep moving forward!
Career Progression
So, you’ve found the right department for your skills and motivation. Great! Now, let’s talk about what to do next.
First things first, and probably goes without saying, but be the best you can be. Show everyone you’re not just good, but great! Being an underperformer means missing out on promotions and opportunities, and nobody wants that.
To show you’ve got what it takes for a senior role, you need to show you can work well with others and get things done. Avoid a blame culture – no one likes finger-pointing. Emotional intelligence is crucial, especially if you end up managing colleagues or even your replacement. Aim to be the kind of leader people want to follow, not just have to follow.
As you start thinking about what type of leader you want to aspire to be, start thinking about the different types of roles and their implications. Some focus on people leadership, others on business leadership, and some on specialism leadership.
People Leaders:
This is usually the first step up and involves a lot of people management. Make sure this is something you enjoy and have the energy for, as it can be very demanding.
Business Leaders:
This role blends people management with a focus on business innovation and strategies to drive profits through cost reduction and revenue growth.
Specialism Leaders:
Here, you lead a specific function, often with a small team, and become a senior-level expert. It’s more about strategy and business impact than managing large teams.
As you move on to more senior roles, expect to do less hands-on work. You’ll be busy in meetings, negotiating, and strategizing, rather than doing the hands-on work.These roles can get stressful so consider getting a coach to help you
Don’t wait for senior colleagues to promote you automatically. You need to prove yourself. Identify what’s required for the next role and start showcasing those skills now. For instance, if collaboration is important, make sure you’re known as a team player.
If you apply for a role and don’t get it, you have two options:
- Prove them right by just going back to your old ways.
- Prove them wrong by understanding the feedback, refocusing, and returning with more motivation and a better attitude.
If your company is genuinely invested in your growth, make sure your career goals align with their perspectives. They might see more development needed or suggest a different path. Use your boundary framework to assess this.
Career Change
Changing careers can be tough. It often starts from feeling burned out in your current role. Remember those early conversations with career advisors? If you were lucky enough to find a path, then it’s likely no one mentioned that even with growth, development, and progression, long-term exposure to the same career can lead to exhaustion.
Some people never feel like they’ve found the right path while others might experience life-changing events that spark a desire and curiosity for change. No matter how you arrived at career fatigue, you’re here now.
This is where a career coach can really help. They can be your guide, sounding board, and mentor. But before diving in, start by asking yourself a few simple questions:
- What do you enjoy about your current job? Think about the night before work: if you knew you were doing something specific the next day, what would make you look forward to it?
- What do you really dislike about your current job? Consider the night before work again: if you knew you had to do a particular task, would you dread it? Remember, there’s a difference between dislike and dread, and indifference and not minding.
- Looking at everyone in your business and their job roles, what would you like to be more involved with? When you answer this, ask yourself why. Would this reason give you energy for the next day?
- Reflect on your past roles: what was your favourite role and why? What was your favourite company and why?
- Finally, think about your personal life: what would you like to do more of if you had the time, and why?
These answers should help you understand what you like and dislike in a role and in a business. Once you have a clearer picture, it’s time to think about what’s truly important for you in this career change. List at least five reasons for wanting to make the change and rank them from most to least important.
One of the hardest parts might be thinking about your personal values. Try to identify your top seven personal values, ranking them in order of importance.
A career change is a big step that requires confidence, even if your circumstances aren’t the most encouraging. These steps will help you truly understand yourself and allow options to start emerging.
From those options, consider: Are there roles that will meet at least 70% of my desires? If so, what kinds of roles are they? If not, are there companies where I could carve out a role that delivers this? And if there aren’t, what options do I have for starting a business or becoming self-employed?
Creating a Self-Focus Space
When thinking about any career move, remember that it involves a lot of work. You’re already working full-time, and making a career move may require at least part-time effort to get into the right headspace. The amount of support you have, like coaching, will influence how long this extra time burden will last.
Also, be aware that the noise from everyday job and home life issues can cause mental blocks. If you can carve out even more time, use some well-being techniques to calm your mind and make it receptive to thinking about your long-term career goals.
- Take charge of your health. Over the next few weeks, start doing something that will improve your health. Aim for at least once a week, but don’t set unrealistic expectations.
- Take charge of your intellect. Carve out at least an hour per week for yourself, whether it’s for meditation, reading a book, or something else that stimulates your mind.
- Take charge of yourself. Over the next few weeks, do one thing you’ve been putting off that will bring you pleasure or a sense of satisfaction.
Your Path Forward
Navigating career change or advancement can be an adventure. It’s full of opportunities and, yes, a few challenges too. Whether you’re aiming to climb higher in your current field, broadening your skills or considering a complete career change, staying proactive and reflective is key.
Start by taking a close look at where you are now. What motivates you? What do you value most? With this understanding, you can set clear goals and make smart decisions about your next steps. If you’re feeling unsure or struggling with impostor syndrome, coaching can be a powerful tool to help you move forward.
Embrace this journey of self-discovery and professional development. Celebrate your wins, learn from your setbacks, and keep moving forward with confidence and determination. With the right mindset and support, you can navigate the twists and turns of career change and advancement and build a fulfilling, successful career.
At MadeYou, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Whether you need Career Enhancing Coaching or Career Changing Coaching. Get in touch, and let’s take this journey together and make your career aspirations a reality. Keep pushing forward, stay focused, and never stop striving for the career you deserve. Your future is bright, and with the right guidance and determination, you can achieve amazing things.
