8 Tips for Advancing Any Career

Everyone wants to live up to his or her potential in life. For some people, this means that they want to have a big family or contribute to charities. For others, it means advancing as far as possible in their career. Career advancement can be a stressful and difficult process. It is hard to understand when to ask for a raise or try for a promotion. However, there are several things you can do to set yourself up for advancement in the career of your choosing.

Be Patient

Asking for a promotion or raise too soon is one of the biggest downfalls for people looking for career advancement. You never want to seem pushy, especially if you really do not deserve to be advanced. Instead, be patient and work hard to demonstrate your abilities. People will notice you putting in extra effort in the workplace without having to actually announce what you are doing. You will be surprised how much respect you will earn from your bosses and coworkers simply for doing your job.

Be Humble

Once people start noticing your hard work, you do not want to gloat and brag about your accomplishments. Be humble and keep doing your job. People who are higher up in your company will be impressed with your attitude. They are more likely to advance someone who is quietly proud of what they do over a person who is constantly talking about how hard they work.

Praise Others

People respond well to positive energy in the workplace. Compliment others any chance that you get. Emphasize the things that your coworkers do well. Let them know that they are really bringing a lot to the company. They will be more likely to help you in the future if you have consistently been nice to them. For example, you will be able to use them as references as you are advancing in your career.

Join Associations and Organizations

You should always be on the lookout for associations and professional organizations that are related to your field of work. These will be very helpful in teaching you the ins and outs of your industry. You will find out several tricks and tips that the average worker does not know. In addition, associations and organizations provide great opportunities for networking.

Go Back to School

A lot of companies require an advanced degree in order to move up in the organization. This means you will have to go back to school if you only have a bachelor’s degree. Thankfully, a lot of companies will pay for your continued education. There are also several affordable online MBA programs that make getting a degree convenient.  Another cool online masters program – which may set you apart from all the MBA grads out there- is Creighton’s dispute resolution degree. In today’s world full of conflict, many government organizations, schools, businesses and health care systems are frequently turning to mediators instead of attorneys to get things resolved.

Don’t Hold Grudges

Things do not always work out the way that you want them to. You need to learn how to let things go and move on. For example, if your coworker got the promotion that you wanted or was assigned the project that you were after, don’t get stuck on it. Keep working hard and you will eventually be noticed. Your negativity will only bring you down.

Do More Than What is Asked of You

One of the best ways to advance in your career is to do more work than what is assigned to you. Take on a new project if you find yourself with some downtime. Your bosses will take notice of how hard you are pushing yourself and keep that in mind when new positions open up.

Show Respect

One of the biggest keys to advancing in your career is something that you have been taught since you were a child. Show respect to everyone around you. You will be surprised how such a simple thing gets lost in the workplace. People get too caught up in their own job and forget about being respectful to those around them. Pay special attention to how you are treating others and you will stand out.