Keep Up the Good Work: More Ways to Advance Your Career

There seems to be a lot more competition in the job market today than there was a decade or two ago. This is in part because the rate of job creation is lower than the number of qualified people.

Whether in the business field, journalism, sciences, or engineering – there are thousands of people who have the same skills.

This means that there’s bound to be stiff competition in every field. Besides that, it boils down to the supply-demand theory. When a specific skill set is in more supply, its demand and value deteriorate.

Beating the competition therefore calls for creativity and persistence.

You have to come up with ways that will put you ahead of your job competitors. For instance, if you have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, you ought to have something extra that will make you more attractive to employers.

We’ve visited this topic before in our article: “How to Advance Your Career.” Below are more ways to advance your career:

Volunteer in a charity

Volunteering is an excellent way of getting ahead in your career. Most people do not like the idea of working without a salary. However, volunteering can help you gain field experience and appear more attractive to employers.

It doesn’t have to be within your field of study. All you need is a reputable charity organization that will give you a chance to serve the society in one way or another. Volunteering can also help you to network and connect to potential employers. Lastly, volunteering will also allow you to showcase your knowledge and skills.

Acquire horizontal experience

Horizontal experience refers to the knowledge that’s not related to your field of study or career. It means learning something about the area that you were not taught in the university or college.

For instance, if you are a customer representative, you can assist in projects in the human resources department.

You can also decide to take part-time classes in human resources or pursue an MBA. Doing so will make you more marketable in terms of your career and give you more opportunities than your colleagues.

Start a podcast

One way to stand out from your peer group is to publish–or participate in–a podcast. A podcast might help you gain visibility in your field, and it also provides a way for you to give back to your colleagues as you share information and experiences. When you approach experts in your area to appear as guests on your podcast, you’ll be networking in a way that you probably haven’t before.

And don’t be intimidated by all of the skills you might think you need to acquire to start a podcast. Look into Anchor, a platform that was backed by investment groups such as The Chernin Group (TCG); it provides an all-in-one solution to help you record, edit, publish, and more.

Build networks

You have heard people saying that your network is your net worth. You should learn the habit of networking, even if you are not looking for a job.

The good thing about creating networks in person or online is that you never know when you will need them. It is good to build connections both in your field and others.

Networking can connect you with different types of people. But how do you network? The best way is to have networking meetings every week.

This can be achieved by attending networking parties or going out for lunch with someone. You can network with workers within your organization or professionals from other companies.

Study leadership

Leadership is one of the essential skills being sought by many employers. Most companies and organizations are always looking for individuals who can take up leadership roles. This means besides your standard skills, you need to upgrade and learn how to be a leader. How can you do that?

You can enroll in part-time leadership classes as well as forums. This will give you a chance to learn various things about leadership in the corporate world. Besides, it will provide you with a competitive advantage in your field.

Learn a new language

How many times have you come across job ads within your field that requires bilingual individuals?

Undoubtedly, learning a new language or two will place you in a better position to land a high-paying job.

For example, if you are a native English speaker, it would be great to learn Spanish or Arabic to expand your career boundaries.