11 Tips to Achieve Career Success

Let’s admit it. It’s tough to carve a successful career path out there. The ever-evolving corporate world is globalized and we need to be more competitive. Amid conflicting forces and challenges, how do you ensure that your career will survive?

Propel your career forward and to ensure sustained and long-term career success with these helpful tips:

1. Find a mentor
You should be open for advice from people who are seniors in your field. These people may give you some valuable advice with career-related matters and some useful piece of advice when you’re making important career decisions.

2. Set clear goals
It helps if you set clear goals than wander like a lost soul. Create a 1, 3, and 5 year plan and list some short term objectives that will help you achieve your plans. You have to set realistic milestones and targets but don’t forget to do some personal audits to see if these plans take shape.

3. Never stop learning
Learning never stops even after you have obtained a degree. You should never stop learning. Consider your present job a venue for learning. It doesn’t matter if you have a good skill set, but if your skills remain stagnant and not upgrade, there will be no use for it. You should strive for continuous learning and training. Constantly update your credentials and stay ahead of the curve.

4. Hone your communications skills
This is very essential for career success. You should know how to communicate well. Effective communication means you should learn to give and receive constructive feedback, to persuade effectively and to solicit help and garner resources. It also entails active listening.

5. Know yourself
When you know yourself, you know your strengths and your limitations. You can work on your weaknesses and try to see yourself from someone else’s perspective.

6. Use your performance appraisals effectively
Performance appraisal system is a great way to learn about yourself and a great measure of how you deal with criticism. The key is to turn it to constructive criticism. Your performance evaluation is a sign that your career is leaning towards your goal. It will help you gain appropriate resources and support; and how you can use them properly.

7. Mentor someone
You can build reputation by also mentoring someone in your peer group –might be a mentor to yourself or to a younger professional, or a friend.

8. Network
Networking is a must with today’s diverse corporate world. You can join professional associations, college groups and alumni clubs, or forums. You have to remain networked in the community and broaden your circle of contacts. You never know when you might be needing help in the future.

9. Volunteer
Make a difference. Represent your company in a community initiative or something for a good cause. It will increase your visibility of having a broader professional circle. Treat others as you would like to be treated. Observe this and you will go a long way.

10. Keep the company’s goals in mind
Once you start working for a company, you should start to keep the company’s objectives and strive to achieve it in your own way. Don’t lose sight of the vision, mission, and values in everything you do. Most importantly, do not forget the company’s policies and always be a team player.

11. See it
The great achievers have a habit. They “see” things. They picture themselves walking around their CEO office in their new $25 million corporate headquarters, even while they are sitting on a folding chair in their garage “headquarters.” Great free-throw shooters in the NBA picture the ball going through the basket. PGA golfers picture the ball going straight down the fairway. World-class speakers picture themselves speaking with energy and emotion. All of this grooms the mind to control the body to carry out the dream.

Do you agree with these tips? Share this article to your friends and spread the word!

Also, find out the secrets to building a solid career path: