Ten Steps To Reach The Next Level In Your Career
How do you reach the next level in your career? I hear this question every time I present to a group of professionals, regardless of industry or functional area. Of course, it makes sense that an engaged, ambitious professional will want to know how to improve. However, people start out with different strengths and deficiencies so the best advice for getting to that next level is always customized to you. That said, there is a general process that most everyone looking to grow their career should undertake. Here are ten steps to reach the next level in your career:
First and foremost, clearly define what “next” means — i.e., how will you decide whether an opportunity is the right next step for you? One of my clients was a talented marketing executive with increasing responsibilities, measured in terms of people of budget under her scope. She wanted to be a CMO, and her career progress matched accordingly. However, for her industry (fashion, retail) she would need international exposure, ideally working abroad or at least having regional responsibility that included international areas. Given where she was in her career, her next level should prioritize this international scope. For another marketing executive who already had international exposure, that person’s next level might instead prioritize managing a bigger team or getting cross-functional experience in a financial or operational role. What do you need to prioritize for your next role?
