13 Top Tips to Jumpstart Your Career

Most people starting out in the working world believe they have many years to focus on their career development. While they will have decades to increase their industry knowledge and climb the ladder, some tactics could help them walk into a respected position at a faster rate.

If you want to secure a rewarding role and a superb annual salary as soon as possible, you must set yourself apart from your peers. Read these 13 top tips to jumpstart your career.

  • Master a Topic

Most employers will not expect budding professionals to know an industry inside and out. Therefore, mastering a topic at the start of your career could help you stand apart from other candidates. Improve your knowledge by reading textbooks and industry articles, enrolling in courses and webinars, watching videos, and gaining industry experience.

  • Pick an MBA Concentration

Few degrees can rival a Master of Business Administration (MBA) on a resume. The respected degree will prove you have rock-solid business knowledge, a hard work ethic, and the ambition to climb the corporate ladder. However, you must do your homework before enrolling in a course. Rather than picking a general MBA program to walk into a corporate role, you could enjoy great success in your career by picking an MBA with a concentration. 

For example, if you have your sights set on becoming a data analyst, you could graduate with an MBA concentration in business intelligence. However, if you would like to become a financial analyst or an investment banker, choose an MBA with a finance concentration. Click here to learn more about the benefits of an MBA concentration, which could match your career goals and interest.

  • Identify In-Demand Skills

Give yourself the best chance of securing an interview and role by identifying the in-demand skills in your industry. Review various job postings in your city to discover the common skills employers are looking for in a candidate. It could help you identify gaps in your resume that could hold you back in your career. Plus, you could increase your skills to ensure an employer chooses you over a less experienced applicant. Remember, most employers will not expect you to tick every box on a job description, and they will be more likely to consider you for a senior role if you do.

  • Browse Experienced Professionals’ LinkedIn Profiles

Most experienced industry professionals will have LinkedIn profiles, which you should browse at your leisure. If a member has a job you would like to enter in the future, review their profiles to learn more about their background, skills, education, and industry experience. It is another tactic for learning more about a sector’s requirements and the steps you can take to enter a senior position.

  • Ask Industry Experts for Career Advice

In addition to browsing industry experts’ LinkedIn profiles, you could reach out to them for career advice and guidance. The chances are a professional will be flattered you have asked them for tips, and they might be more than happy to answer your questions or point you in the right direction. 

Plus, your proactive approach to your career and development could grab their attention. As a result, they might invite you to an interview to work under their wings directly, offering to mentor you.

  • Dress for Your Dream Job

The clothes you wear will reflect your personality and ambition. If you often wear a crinkled shirt or a hoodie at work, your boss or colleagues might not take you seriously. Even if your workplace has a casual dress code, you must wear high-quality, smart, and stylish clothing each day. Dressing to impress will prove you care about your career, have great attention to detail, and will receive more respect from others. When a promotion arises, your employer will be more likely to think of you.

  • Launch a Professional Website

A website will provide a platform to showcase your skills, experience, awards, accomplishments, and successful projects. Grab an employer’s attention by buying a domain name and web hosting. 

Once your site is up and running, you must look for ways to increase its online visibility. For example, you will need to:

  • Publish insightful industry blogs
  • Build backlinks to your landing pages
  • Improve your page speed
  • Create a user-friendly experience
  • Check and fix crawl errors

A professional website will look great on your resume, and a hiring manager can learn more about who you are and what you can do. Plus, you could establish yourself as an industry expert, which could catch the attention of a potential employer.

Don’t forget to promote your content on social media, too. Publishing your blogs on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn could open the door to many career opportunities and help you build an extensive network that helps push your career in the right direction.

  • Make Friends with Your Colleagues

It is a wise idea to form as many friendships as possible once you enter a workplace. An administrator could one day run their own business, or a personal assistant could become a manager at the company. The friendly relationships could help you climb up the career ladder and enjoy a larger annual salary. So, steer away from office gossip and treat everyone you meet with kindness, interest, and respect. You never know who could influence your career.

  • Show Gratitude After a Pay Raise

While your salary shouldn’t determine your self-worth, it could make you feel more or less successful in your career. However, most employers will not willingly boost your annual salary. If you believe you deserve a raise, you may need to ask for it. Meet with your employer every six months and ask them for a raise until they say yes. 

If your boss increases your salary, you must express your thanks and appear grateful, even if it is a small pay bump. If you appear less than pleased with the amount, they will be less willing to accept your salary request in the future.

  • Ask Others for Feedback

If you want to climb the ladder at a quick rate, you must pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. Once you have worked at a business for a few months, ask your colleagues for feedback on your performance. You could even create a quick online survey for them to complete anonymously, which will ensure you receive their honest feedback. 

You must act on their constructive criticism to enjoy more success in your role. For instance, you might need to attend a public speaking course, work on your written or verbal communication, or improve your knowledge on a specific topic.

  • Learn About Training Opportunities

Various organizations have an annual training budget to improve their team’s knowledge and skills. However, many employees often fail to take advantage of the courses available. If you want to improve a weakness, build on a strength, or gain a new skill, talk to your boss about the possible training opportunities. 

For example, they might be happy to fund a degree, workshop, or webinar that could help you flourish in your career. The training could position you for a promotion or impress a hiring manager at another brand.

  • Practice Gratitude and Humility

Many ambitious professionals look out for themselves when attempting to climb a company’s ranks. However, you could enjoy more success in your career by practicing gratitude and humility.

Express your appreciation for a colleague’s help, assist others’ struggling with a task, and take accountability when you make a mistake. By doing so, people will notice your gracious, helpful, and humble attitude, and they will have kinder things to say when asked for their opinion on your skills and attitude. 

If you prove you are willing to learn from others and are happy to lend a helping hand when needed, you could develop a positive reputation and increase your chances of a promotion.

  • Say Yes to Tough Tasks

Never shy away from complex tasks. If you do, you could allow a colleague to make a positive impression on your employer, and you will have missed an opportunity to do so. While a project might appear a little complicated or stressful, you could wow your boss when completing a challenge. 

A successful project could highlight your industry knowledge, skills, and leadership potential, and your employer might stop underestimating you. It is an effective tactic for establishing yourself as a business asset, which will increase your job security and help you rise through the ranks.

Conclusion

If you want to secure many promotions and pay raises throughout the decades, you will need to earn them. Rather than sitting back and waiting for an employer to notice your talent and ability, you must look for ways to raise your profile, boost your skills, and climb the ladder at a fast rate. You could impress an employer by graduating with an MBA concentration, developing a professional presence online, and gaining sought-after industry skills. It could help you to walk into a role and quickly climb the ladder at an organization.