Top Strategies For Career Growth

What are the top strategies for career growth? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Charlene Walters, PhD, Business Mentor, Consultant, Corporate Trainer & Author, on Quora:

Growing your career is no different than going after any other goal in your life whether it’s personal or professional. You have to be intentional about it. So, if you want to advance in your career, ask yourself the following questions in order to solidify your goals:

• What do I want to do?
• What is the typical path to get there?
• Are there any opportunities available now that I can pursue?
• Who can help me/give me guidance?
• What are my current strengths?
• What new skills will I need to gain/improve?

In addition to asking these questions and clearly identifying your goals, you should also lean into the following big picture strategies:

Networking

The more you put yourself out there and talk to others, the more likely you are to find out about new professional opportunities whether they are within your current organization or at another.

Increasing Visibility

Show what you know. I like to think of these moments as auditioning for your next job. Volunteer to be on committees and high profile projects so that more people will become familiar with you and your work.

Building Credibility and Influence

It always pays off to brush up on your skills by attending additional conferences or courses, and showcasing your knowledge by writing articles, creating videos or helping others.

Gaining Allies

Tell acquaintances and peers about your professional goals so that when an opportunity comes up, they’ll mention you/ keep you in mind for it. Also, look to align yourself with others who are in similar roles or who can help you get there.

Improving Your Pitching Skills

At the end of the day, you have to sell yourself just like any other product or service. Continue to work on your presentation and pitching skills so that when an opportunity comes up, you’ll be ready.

This question originally appeared on Quora – the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.