It is good to aim for the sky, to dream big and to fantasize being powerful and rich. However, to set your goals with only the very top in mind is strewn with obstacles.
Obstacle number one is the sheer enormity of this dream that makes it appear unattainable, especially from where you currently stand. In such a case, the magic of thinking big may not work, instead thinking smaller will be more apt.
This is not to say that you should lose sight of your ultimate goal. In fact, you should chart your path to that goal by taking bite-sized steps that are within your current capabilities. This will help you proceed in a stepwise manner, conquering smaller goals till you reach the big one.
There is no easy way to the top. But, you can methodically make your way up the corporate ladder by these simple tips. The below mentioned tips will also come in handy in tackling interview questions and answers, should you decide on a job switch.
Steps to reach the top
Your first concern in setting out for your ultimate goal is to improve your career. Only a bright career will take you places and even to the top. And you can achieve this by focusing on the four essentials that are so simple that you will wonder why you didn’t think of them before!
Let us see what they are:
#1 Keep yourself well informed
Being with the times is important. You must know what is happening around you and in your company. Keep up with the industry news and learn about new skills. The idea is to constantly learn by making a habit of reading. Read about your professional field, about advancements in your profession, about avenues of upgrading your skills and the like.
The internet is chock a block with websites, articles, blogs, online discussions and what have you, from where you can gain immense knowledge. There are books and industry-specific periodicals that you must read. New ideas, voices and opinions, gained from such sources, will add to your knowledge, make you a good communicator, raise your reputation as a professional and help shape the decisions you take for going to the next step.
So, inculcate the habit of reading something every day. Subscribe to popular magazines and relevant professional periodicals. Start in the morning with the newspaper and sleep after reading a few pages of anything you can lay your hands on. Also, have something handy to read, if you commute a long distance to your workplace. The idea is not to while away your spare time doing nothing. If you stick to the reading routine, it will become a habit that will pay rich dividends in the future.
#2 Connect with people
You will be amazed that just by meeting people, whether physically or online, and exchanging notes you can get a lot of important information that is relevant to your profession.
For this, you will need to become active on the social media, reach out to professionals in your field through LinkedIn, exchange emails with other professionals or simply pick up the phone and refresh old contacts. Of course, this may not be possible on a daily basis. So, schedule a specific time of the day or week to do this.
This kind of connect and networking will certainly not go waste. The people you have nurtured will certainly remember you and when the time comes, you will find them favoring you over others.
#3 Improve your written expression
Emails, online messages, text messages, letters, office memos and other written communication sent by you forms an impression. Written content shows your knowledge, depth, meticulousness in drafting and eye for detail for eliminating grammatical and spelling errors and other typos.
So, the way to improve your written expression is to constantly write something. You can start writing a personal diary or create a blog or write articles as a freelance writer or create web content; the opportunities for writing are endless.
Making writing an opportunity to express yourself, your ideas and thoughts, will not only get you into the habit of writing, but will also provide mental clarity and make your vocabulary strong. This will certainly help you in the long run.
#4 Don’t stifle your natural inquisitiveness
You may harbor genuine doubts regarding some professional matter, which can be easily clarified by asking questions. But in your attempt not to expose yourself as ignorant, you don’t. This reluctance can have serious implications in the future, since you can be caught on the wrong foot regarding the issue and cut a sorry figure.
So, the way out is to ask questions. Ask your colleagues about their current project, ask a subordinate about a skill that he uses in the company and the like. And these questions may not only pertain to your profession but may also include other things that can help you with your career.
