Top career advice tips for mid-level professionals

02nd Jan 2021

For those career professionals that are in the mid-level of their chosen career, it can be difficult to progress to the next level. Seeing colleagues rise through the ranks and receive top-level promotions can leave you wondering how you can achieve the same. Provided that there is nothing preventing you from making such a move, getting your next promotion may be easier than you think - even if it means changing companies. Experience in your career means that you have a marketable skill, and it is important to leverage it to progress your position. If you don’t know where to start you are not alone, hundreds of people stay where they are because they lack the information needed to move forward.

Here is some top advice from career professionals to show you how.

Get your managers buy-in

It can be easy to assume that your manager knows you are on the lookout for career advancement, but that may not always be true. Make sure that your boss understands that you are a career professional that is in it for the long haul and discuss your career goals. You may be surprised to learn that there are opportunities you can take advantage of, or that your manager had no idea you desired an upward move.

Have a personal action plan

Making a personal action plan drives forward movement and will keep you on task. Writing down your goals and aims clearly means that you can define your ambitions and make progress towards them actionable and measurable. You can specify milestones and identify areas where you need to improve and schedule courses or training to support your progression. Once you know where you need development in your professional career you can check off action items as you complete them.

Consider a business coach

If you are really stuck in a rut, a business coach may be able to help you get things moving again. Many career professionals report that business coaching helped them to devise a strategy for career advancement. Having a business coach is like a coach for anything else, they will support and motivate you and provide encouragement until you reach your goals. Even though business coaching costs money, it can be a worthwhile investment in your future.

Invest in specialized training

If there is a new role coming up that you aspire to but don’t quite have the skills then plug the gap by getting the training or education that is needed. The best-case scenario is that it will be enough to help you get a new position, the worst case is that you have an additional skill set that you can use. Either way training or education is seldom wasted. Many courses are available that can boost your knowledge for free, check out online sites for deals and special offers.

Change your company

A change can be as good as a rest and if you are feeling completely stuck or stagnant in your current position then it may be time for a complete change. Having several years of experience under your belt and a knowledge of your industry could be exactly the kind of skills that a new employer is looking for. Review your local job listings and check out competitor career pages on company websites to find out who is hiring. Companies are always seeking the best talent so with your knowledge and experience you may just be what they are looking for.

Find a new industry

If a career change isn’t quite enough then you may need to search outside your industry altogether. There are many skills that can be transferable and may find that a new opportunity even in a different field, can utilize your learning and prior experience. Consider your options for transferring to a different organization and determine how your skills can help them. You may be an expert with clients, or be fantastic with tech, which are versatile talents that can be used across many different industries.

Final words

The important thing to remember is that as a career professional your skills and abilities are needed in the marketplace, you just need to promote to the right person. Forward movement can be created by focusing your efforts on what you want and partnering with others to get it. Whether you enlist the help of tutors, your manager, or a business coach, the outcome can be determined faster by identifying what you want and then working towards it. Don’t get stuck in the same spot, use these tips to forward your career advancement and steer your professional life in the direction you choose.