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Do you feel like you are ready to grow in your industry, or perhaps find a new career to grow into? It is never too late to make a change, whether that is to aim for a promotion, a side step into a specialism, or start a brand new career completely. Many people are put off by the idea, believing that they are not capable, or that they are too old. However, with the right steps, you can grow in your career, and lead a thriving professional life. To help you on your journey, here are some top tips for growing your career. 

Find your purpose 

You must find your purpose. Think long and hard about what you want, and what you are happy doing for your career. Make sure you aren’t making a change for the wrong reasons, for example, running away from problems or for the money. While making changes to make your life more positive and earn more money is important, you won’t be fully happy if it isn’t aligned with your purpose. Consider what you need, but also what you want out of your career. For example, if you love to help people, then why not consider a career in the healthcare industry? 

Conduct research 

When you have a rough idea of what you want to do with your career, it is important to conduct some initial research. This is so you can learn more about the industry and career before you go running after it. Research will help you to understand the ins and outs of the job, and more about what it entails. Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of seeing a career they think they will like, without doing any research. They spend a lot of money on courses, only to learn that they don’t like the job. There is usually much more to it on the surface, so it is important to fully understand the role and the industry that you are entering. Conduct research online, look through forums, and read job postings. If you can, speak to individuals within the industry too, and learn about their day to day responsibilities first hand. 

Set goals

Goal setting can be really helpful when trying to grow your career. This will help you to visualize and be clear about all the actions that you have to take and set milestones for you to achieve. It can be quite overwhelming when there are lots of things you have to do, so breaking it down into actions, with a deadline attached to them can help you move things along, prioritize the right tasks, and limit overwhelm and procrastination. 

Network

A great tip to help you grow and thrive in your career is to network. You don’t have to wait until you have the job to network. It is an excellent idea to do this while you are trying to grow your career. Networking will enable you to speak to people in the industry so you can learn about what they do, the different jobs available, and more about the industry as a whole. You can make some great connections and even open yourself up to new experiences and new opportunities. Having friends and contacts within the industry will help to give you a head start in your new thriving career. 

Get out of your comfort zone 

See if you can find or create projects that will help expose you to new skills, experiences, and contacts within the industry you wish to grow. This might be changing jobs, getting involved in volunteer work, or setting up your initiatives. This will help you get ahead in your career growth, and show future employers that you are ambitious and serious about the career. It will help you to significantly grow your experience. Make sure you keep track of everything that you do and get involved in, so you can share it with the relevant people along the way. 

Acquire the skills, qualifications, and experience 

There are many industries where the skills, qualifications, and experience are vital to the career path you wish to take or grow within. For example, if you are a healthcare professional, then you have to have a certain level of competence to be able to help clients and patients safely. If you are seeking to grow your career while already in the industry, then you must obtain a BLS recertification and any other specialist qualifications that you may need for the field you want to move into. If you are new to the industry, then you will have to use your research findings to set yourself a path of acquiring the right skills necessary for you to get a foot in the door. 

Find a mentor

Sourcing a mentor is a really good idea when trying to grow your career. They are typically someone who is in the industry you wish to enter and have been in a very similar job role to the one you are pursuing. They will have a lot of knowledge and experience to share with you and will be able to help you set goals, obtain the right experience and qualifications, provide you with support and advice, and much more. They will have really valuable insights to share with you. A mentor will help you to grow in your career, and can even stay with you after you have obtained your ideal job, to help you navigate day-to-day responsibilities, growth, and challenges. 

Go above and beyond 

If you already work in the industry and are pursuing a promotion or want to grow in the field you are in, a great thing you can do is to go above and beyond. Show the people in your company that you are ready and willing to grow in your career and that you have what it takes. Take initiative on projects, seek out new ideas, and take on new challenges. This will not only help you grow and prepare you for the next role you are going after, but it will also get you in the good books of the people you work with. If you are planning to go to another company, these are all valuable actions that you can put on your resume.

Growing in your career can be challenging, but it should be fun. Follow these top tips to make it easier and to help you go in the right direction to thrive.