The only way to move ahead professionally is by investing in your career. Investing in your career involves self-discipline and dedication. It is very important and necessary to constantly invest in your career because a very little investment both in time and effort can help one achieve greater career height.
You can invest in your career in many ways, either by getting an extra certification or by acquiring a skill. Investing in yourself will require you to take few steps like; reinventing, self-observation, evaluation and finally enhancing yourself. Just like you invest in your finance and in other areas of your life, your career equally needs to be invested in.
Below are five helpful ways to invest in your career;
Getting a degree is one of the best ways to invest and move your career forward. Education is a major key to career growth and development. Getting a degree is a means of investing in your career and moving forward in your career path.
Getting a university degree opens you up to many opportunities in life. It prepares you for the future both intellectually and professionally. The benefits of getting a degree include; better career opportunities, better skilled and higher paying jobs. Apart from getting a better job, getting a degree gives that sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. If you don’t know how to go about getting a degree, you should consider taking the following steps;
Getting a degree comes with a lot of dedication and hard work, so it very important you are making the right decision at the right time. Deciding you want to go back to school at a particular time is the step you need to take before getting a degree.
After deciding that you are ready to study, the next big step you will need to take is to decide what you want to study. You would need to take out time to decide the course you would like to study and why you would like to study that particular course. Choosing what to study could be confusing sometimes, but there are things you should consider before choosing your course/ career path, things like; your passion, your interest, jobs that will trend in the future, monetary rewards etc.
After deciding on what you want to study and where you want to study, the next step to take is to sit for a test or an entrance examination depending on where you are. Some colleges or universities may require you to take aptitude tests online.
After gaining admission into the university, you should decide how you want to study. Decide if you want to study online or if you would prefer being on a campus. People with busy schedules will prefer taking courses online.
Learning and acquiring knowledge comes with a lot of financial commitment, deciding you want to study, you also need to be ready financially. You will need to get learning materials like; textbooks, laptops and some other learning aids that may cost a lot. Learning sure come with a price.
Becoming certified in your field is another way to invest in your career. Acquiring extra certificates or becoming certified in a certain skill you might have acquired will put you in a more advantaged position. Employers will likely employ a certified person over someone that is not certified.
Getting a certification in your field of specialization can help move your career a step forward. Getting certified will not take much of your time like getting a degree, you can easily undertake certificate courses while working, it is an easy way to invest in your career. Some job fields will require you to get certified in order to still remain relevant. Job fields like; Information technology, Human resources etc.
To become certified is simple, all you need to do is to consider your interest in a particular field, after which will have to look for certificate awarding institutions around you, or better still consider taking an online certificate course.
If you are interested in taking a course related to Information Technology, you should look out for the following institutions; New Horizons Nigeria, NIIT, Alabian Solution Technology, Aptech Nigeria, Ultra Media Solutions, GIIT. (If you like to study in Nigeria)
Creating a good online presence for your skill is a good way to invest in your career. Being active on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and creating a website for your brand will put you in the spotlight for prospective employers and partners to contact. Exposing yourself to thousands of people via the internet doesn't just bring the popularity, but makes you open to criticism, advancement, and improvement.
A good way to improve and invest in your career is to be open to criticism and suggestions that will lead to positive actions and transformations to move your brand to the next level. Building your brand online involves having a good online presence that is open for people to see and access. When you are active online, it becomes possible for you to network with professionals in your field that will share useful information on how you can move your career forward, and how you can become better at what you do.
A good online platform to build and invest in your career is LinkedIn.com. Creating a LinkedIn profile will help showcase your accomplishments, skills, and abilities to move your career forward. Letting people know about your skills, achievements etc. will help take your career to the next level, because it will help attract employers that find your profile interesting which is a step ahead, and will also connect you to professional that can offer professional advice that can help with career advancement.
Getting a career coach or mentor is another way to invest in your career, because coaches and mentors have passed through your career stage, and are therefore equipped with so much experience that can help shape your career. Career coaches are charged with the responsibility of guiding you and leading you in the right way in your career path.
Mentors and coaches help you when you are faced with challenges such as career growth opportunities that may seem confusing to you. They can also help you improve soft skills and also provide you with ideas on career growth and strategies for advancement.
It is important that you choose a mentor within your field of interest, someone that is grounded that can help you in your professional journey by giving advice on career directions that you may not be aware of. Mentorship is very important in your career journey, and it is a good way to invest in your career because a career coach can champion your career towards success. Depending on your location, and career field, finding the right career coach may seem difficult, but there are few questions you would need to ask yourself before you get a career coach. The following tips would be helpful;
Raising your professional network is another good way to invest in your career. You can raise your professional network by joining professional associations. Professional associations consist of a group of people from the same profession that come together for networking and also come up with standards for the profession. Professional associations will give you the opportunity to network and learn more about your field.
Apart from networking with other members, professional associations create an opportunity for you to learn and even be open to jobs, and will also put you in a more advantaged position. Also, a professional association is a good place to get career coaches and mentors. You can check online to look for professional associations to join.
Taking out time to invest in your career will definitely put you in a more advantaged position than any other person. The more you invest in your career the clearer and precise your career path will become. Investing in your career now will over time increase your value now and in the future.
Also see, Top 10 Well paid Careers in Nigeria
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