Bored, uninspired, unchallenged. If any of those words resonate with you when you think about your job, then maybe it’s time for the next steps in your career. Everyone has to work to live, we all know that, unless of course you’re one of those lucky superstars! But as you’re reading this, think it’s safe to say you’re just like all the rest of us. Everyone has a point (or many) in their career where they feel their skills aren’t being used to their full potential and this is where it’s time to think about the next steps in your career.
The key to career progression is knowing where you want to be and what the employer is looking for. One of the best ways of doing this is to look at job descriptions for roles that you feel would be the perfect fit for your next career step. If you pay close attention to the required skills and qualifications, you can get a really good insight into what is needed and then you can compare those against your own qualifications. You may well find that you have been doing many of the required skills for years in your current position and you know exactly how to fulfil them on a daily basis.
However, being able to carry out day to day tasks in your role is all well and good, but that’s not going to get your career moving and progressing like you need. Your current employer (or even a potential employer) likes to see more than just you performing well within your role to consider you for a promotion. Having official qualifications to support your performance is a great way to show your abilities and skillsets. For example, if you’re looking to progress into Management within your career, holding either an A-Level or Level 3 Certificate in Business or Management will show that not only do you know the theory behind Management, but you also know it’s practical applications within your sector and therefore a very strong candidate to be considered for promotion and progression. Even shorter and quicker qualifications such as Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses will help with you demonstrating your abilities on your CV.