Are you looking to climb the career ladder in your industry? Or perhaps you’re looking to
switch to a career that’s right for you. There are many steps to finding success on your career path.
Read on to find out how you can make the absolute best of your working life and find yourself in an accomplished career.
What are some of the factors that can influence career success?
There are many ways to define success in your career, whether that be through a satisfying salary, an enjoyable scope of work, or a good company culture. Here are a few factors that can holistically influence
career success:
Education and training
Every industry is continually evolving with new practices emerging all the time. Staying on top of industry trends and
building new skills by completing
short courses can make sure that you are on track to advance in your career. Upskilling can also help you make a career change if you are looking to switch industries.
Transferable skills
There are many skills that you will use for your entire working life and be applicable for most jobs and industries. Some skills include:
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Time management
- Project management
- Computer literacy
By building and maintaining these skills, you can progress in your career or switch industries with ease. Completing
short courses can help you grow these skills.
Networking
![]()
Many companies like to hire internally, and many managers prefer to give jobs to people who they have worked with or met before. By attending industry networking events, or just getting to know your co-workers and managers, you can reach success by asking for advice from others, getting mentoring or even asking around if there are any job openings in a company.
What are some of the important skills needed for career growth?
To advance in your career, you will need to
continually build transferable skills. These skills can also be
helpful later in your career if you wish to switch industries. Transferable skills can be built through courses, volunteering, or internships. These skills are important assets that managers look for when promoting or hiring employees.
Communication
Communication skills are important in the workplace as they can help you absorb or relay important information accurately. You will need to not only have good verbal communication skills but need to consider your written communication skills as well. Communication is a vital skill in the workplace and is usually built up by experience, whether this be through a course or internship.
Leadership and Teamwork
As you climb the career ladder, you’re likely to find yourself in more leadership positions. It’s important that you understand the traits of good leaders so you can reach your full potential. Many good leaders are collaborative and like to hear ideas from their team. They can also guide their team whenever issues pop up in a calm and professional manner. Leadership comes with practice – volunteering is a great way to gain some practice in managing a team.
Problem Solving
As well as being able to work well in a team, you also need to work independently. This means being able to solve issues as they come up without panicking – problem solving can be anything from fixing a technical issue, to mediating conflict within your team. You can gain experience in problem solving through courses that teach digital skills, or through work experience like internships.
Digital Skills
Digital skills are really important in this day and age. Computer literacy and being able to use programs such as Microsoft Excel, are basic requirements needed for many office jobs. To advance in your career, you will need to make sure you are up to date with technology and any new or updated programs or systems. Completing short courses can help you keep up with this.
Project Management
![]()
As you progress in a job, you may start to have more opportunities thrown at you such as overseeing projects. This means managing a team of people, keeping an eye on deadlines and workloads, and potentially communicating with external stakeholders. To gain experience in project management, you can
complete short courses and gain experience through volunteering or internships.
Does having a career coach really help with success at work?
A career coach can help you find success at work and progress your career. Career coaches work with you to set achievable goals, help you pinpoint the direction you’d like your career to go in, and give you current information about the career climate. They can also identify any skills that need improvement to help you take the next step in your work.
If you are looking to change jobs or are aiming for a promotion, career coaches can assist in building CVs and cover letters, do mock interviews with you, and train you in negotiating salary.
Advancing in your career or switching industries is definitely within reach. By gaining and improving transferable skills, you can find success in your career and be in a job you love.
If you are looking to climb the career ladder, enroll in an
Upskilled short course and build valuable skills today.
Ashleigh Ho
Ashleigh (she/her) is a freelance writer with an interest in topics relating to being culturally and linguistically diverse and part of the LGBTQ+ community.
She is experienced in public relations, digital marketing and social media, and has worked within the arts, education and not-for-profit sectors.
Ashleigh is passionate about working with under-represented groups and looks forward to creating content that is inspiring and educational for all communities.