When was the last time you thought about your career growth? Did you feel that you had hit a point of stagnancy in your current role with no upward movement or skill development? Do you worry about the future and get stumped when asked about your five-year plan?
If you answered in the positive to any of those questions, then you are one of the many professionals in India who are in the same position as you. This, coupled with a lack of job satisfaction, affects an individual in myriad ways that can influence their career growth in the future.
And the wisest way to swerve off such a situation is to upskill. Racking up hard skills relevant to your specific profession is one of the best ways to improve your future career prospects. Look at it as an upgrade to your own skills that will not only help you climb the corporate ladder (if you are aspiring to) but also make you a black sheep in a herd full of white sheep.
So, what do you do? How can upskilling actually boost your career? Let’s find out.
Upskilling as a Way of Life
Answering how is as easy as opening a book and starting to read it. If you are someone who has already spent a few years in your industry you already know what needs to be done. It can be exploring a new concept in your field by actually opening a book about that concept or signing up for an online course.
Whatever you do, you can be rest assured that you will broaden your horizon in ways that would not have been possible had you not started.
Here are some of the benefits of upskilling:
Increase Career Opportunities
Suppose you are a manual software tester in an IT company and you do a fairly good job at it. You may know the basics of coding and application testing that is essential for that job. But how about exploring automation in software testing?
There are tools that you can learn about which will broaden your skillset and you will soon be able to take up testing projects that require both manual and automation-driven testing.
This naturally increases your career opportunities as you rack up one more essential, relevant skill.
Bump Your Package
When you upskill, you automatically improve your chance of getting paid better. While growth in one’s designation is a sure-shot way to earn more, adding a skill or two into your portfolio increases your eligibility. You may not even have to ask for a raise as in some cases extraordinary professionals are promoted without preamble.
This can also be achieved by the common practice of job-hopping. But make sure you measure your job satisfaction not merely on the salary package. Jooble is a job search engine created for a single purpose: To help you find the job of your dreams!
Expand Your Professional Network
One of the biggest hurdles in finding a new job is the lack of contacts in the industry. Take for example the case of a digital marketing professional who is working at a media agency. He wants to move to the brand side to improve his CV but finds it difficult because he does not know anyone outside his small circle. So, what does he do?
He engages himself in seminars and online courses where he can meet other professionals and communicate with them. Who knows he may be the exact candidate that another person might be looking for to expand his in-house team?
Such opportunities are abundant in the market, but it takes networking on a large scale to find them. If you are an introvert, you can start slow and engage with professionals in your own company first. This will give you the required confidence to explore external circles.
Conclusion
There you have it. Some of the biggest advantages of upskilling for career growth. As mentioned above, you should look at broadening your skill set not just for the sake of a higher package but also for job satisfaction. The key, therefore, is to have an updated understanding of your industry and carving your skillset depending upon the demand.
The easiest way to do it? Starting today. For more details, you can also visit: Imarticus Learning and can drop your query by filling up a simple form through the site or can contact us through the Live Chat Support system or can even visit one of our training centers based in – Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Ahmedabad.
Tag: Careers
The Importance of Training And Development In The Workplace
A company is run by people, and it is human nature to learn, grow and enhance their skill set. Many companies don’t invest in workplace training as they feel it leads to delays in project completion and is an unnecessary expense.
On the contrary, training is a tool that will help an organization to tap into the dormant skills of an employee. With the help of training, an organization can capitalize on skills by identifying the core strengths of the individuals and accordingly assign them responsibilities.
If you’re wondering why one should attend training sessions in the workplace, then read ahead:
Hone soft skills:
According to a study, when it comes to success at the workplace, 87% of soft skills matter and only 13% of technical skills. The rationale supporting these figures is that a person can learn technical skills, but if their attitude is not up to the mark or they lack confidence, it won’t take them far in their career.
Training helps in identifying the soft skills as well as the flaws that need polishing or nipping in the bud. Through training, an employee can develop soft skills, sharpen their personality and transform themselves into dynamic individuals.
Improve morale:
Doing repetitive tasks, managing erratic deadlines and hitting unrealistic targets can drain an employee’s energy and will to work. Robotic life and stress can lead to a nervous breakdown and if they are not given a satisfying bonus or promotion, that becomes the final nail in the coffin. From there, the employee either starts looking for better options or their quality of work deteriorates.
All this can be avoided with proper training. Man is a social animal and needs a sense of belongingness, a purpose and the zeal to progress. By attending training, they get an opportunity to discuss their problems and reach a mutually beneficial solution with their peers.
Lead employee development:
Every employee joins an organization with a particular skill set, but with time, he needs to expand his skills and capabilities. A limited reservoir of knowledge or abilities will lead to stagnancy in a competitive corporate environment. Nowadays, there are various technical skill development and leadership training plans that help employees expand their horizons and add more feathers to their hat.
Organizations look for internal employees to step up and take senior management positions in their company. If any employee wants to be on the top of the ladder, then it is of utmost importance to develop professionally, so that management can see personal growth and entrust with them the responsibility of organizational growth.
Increase efficiency and effectiveness:
A perfect balance between efficiency and effectiveness is a goal every employee should achieve. It often happens that if an employee is productive, i.e. delivers the assigned tasks before the deadlines, they may lack efficiency, i.e. quality is compromised or vice-versa.
Management looks for employees who can create an ideal efficiency and effectiveness balance. Such employees become the gems of the company and people the management can rely on. Interactive training sessions will help the employees to achieve that balance by opting for smart and effective techniques.
Retain employees:
If the employee retention rate of an organization is low, it’s as good as alarm bells ringing. It means that existing employees are not happy with the current management, policies, or work, which makes them quit. A hard-working employee is an asset to the company, so it is essential to retain them.
Training helps employees interact with and share their concerns with the human resource department. It will help the employees to see the bigger picture and come with a beneficial solution that keeps them involved in the neck of things and retain them in the long run.
To conclude, training and development programs are not just for the benefit of an employee, but also the company. It is a two-way process that results in mutual growth and success.
To know more about this and further career counseling, you can also visit: Imarticus Learning and can drop your query by filling up a simple form through the site or can contact us through the Live Chat Support system or can even visit one of our training centers based in – Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Banglore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Ahmedabad.
10 Questions To Measure Your Career Success By
10 Questions To Measure Your Career Success
Everyone needs a reality check once in a while. Although there are obvious ways to detect if you are flourishing in your current job, there comes a time when it becomes difficult to understand what really is going on. You may love your job and are happy with the way it has shaped up over the years. But does that mean it is an ideal scenario for you? Are you capable of something more? How do you measure career development and success?
These are the queries that we will help you clear today. But how?
By going through 10 questions that you need to ask yourself to measure your career success by. Make sure you answer them honestly.
Questions to Ask Your Professional Self
Whether it is recognition at work or employee engagement that you yearn for, answers to these questions will help you ascertain your current stand in your professional life.
What different goal have I planned for next month/quarter?
Every job requires a push where you periodically take up more tasks and responsibilities. If nothing of that sort is planned, then you should really start talking to your manager and volunteering for more work. Doing more work than what is intended of you is a sure-shot sign of recognition at work and career development.
What major thing did I achieve this month?
It can be anything that you did at work that impressed yourself as well as your boss. Did you achieve all the campaign goals for this month? Bravo!
Can’t remember anything? Time to strive harder next month.
How great is my personal brand going?
Every individual need to have a personal brand; something that differentiates themselves from others. It can be as simple as the style of email writing. Do you find you are not deviating from your personal brand and still doing great at work? You are sorted.
What new thing did I learn about myself last month?
This is especially important for new employees. Did you find you are a slow writer or that you are pedantic when it comes to reporting generation? Good or bad, you need to cultivate or correct it respectively before moving ahead into the next month.
Did I observe any lapses in how I performed?
Last month, the annual report did not go out in time. Can you find out why? If it was dependent on you, can you remember what led to it being sent out late?
Understanding your own lapses at work can be great for daily work management.
What meaning do I derive from work?
Most content writers in India love their job because they are creating something. They find their work value to be redeemed; like giving back to the world in some way. Do you feel something like that with your line of work? it’s a great way to design your career development plan with.
How did my personal life influence my work?
Did anything from your personal life cross the road and affect your work-life last month? Something that was not really positively? It is time to isolate the issue and find out solutions that it never happens again. Proper work-life balance and self-imposed restrictions can help.
How is my network doing?
Every month take a look at your professional contacts. How many new people did you meet? How much time did you contribute to nurturing your existing relationships?
Remember, having a big network always comes handy during job hunts.
What is my biggest hurdle?
Most professionals deal with one or the other issue at some point in their career. It can be either about daily work management or with team control or anything else that they are not finding a solution for. Identifying these issues and then rectifying them is what turns average professionals into extraordinary ones.
Did I step out of my comfort zone or not?
This is my favorite question because it really is a solid way to find out if you did something different in your work. Most professionals work in their comfort zone all their lives and do a fairly good job. Some get outside their comfort zones and move mountains.
So, what are you waiting for? Bookmark this article and visit it at the end of every month to measure your career development.
7 Factors To Consider While Switching Jobs
7 Factors To Consider While Switching Jobs
Is quitting your job the first thing that comes to your mind as soon as you wake up? Is the month-on-month paycheck the only thing you look forward to? While certain statistics say about 85% of people actually dislike their jobs, your scenario might slightly differ if you like to work but dislike your job. Honestly, the decision of whether to make a job switch or not can often be quite overwhelming and taxing.
Here is a lowdown of the seven factors you should contemplate before you take the leap or decide to stay put.
1| Think why do you want to change your job
Before you make up your mind to quit, take a deep breath and think of all the reasons that interest you in the new job opportunity. Are you looking for a quick fix and heading for the first exit that props up in front of you? Weight your current career goals with the prospects you have in hand, and see where you stand. If you feel that the new job shoot your career trajectory upwards from where your end goal is visible, go for it.
2| Consider if your new job offers better career growth
Every person’s ideal job situation is to work for a company which stimulates their personal growth, lets them hone their own skills while they simultaneously contribute to the overall growth of the organization and business. Sharpen your strategies and compare your present organization with the potential job offer. Always think long-term; while the salary holds importance, it is also essential to judge personal development and potential for paving an advanced career path in the future.
3| Judge your work environment
A great designation, a swanky office or a buzzing cafeteria may not be the right way to judge the work environment of the company. After your interview is done, try taking a quick tour of the office premises; figure out if most employees around you look content and happy or appear exhausted and stressed. If the overall happiness quotient seems high and people are friendly, it might be a good environment to work in.
4| Look at the location and figure out the commute
As unimportant as it might seem initially, long commutes are known to be effective mood-spoilers! Imagine taking a crowded metro ride first thing in the morning and then changing two other modes of commute to get to your destination. Not to mention traveling in the scorching summer heat. Sounds exhaustive, doesn’t it? Think over factors like available commutes and rush-hour traffic before taking a call.
5| What is the pay like
The comparison between your current salary and the pay you are being offered at your new job is perhaps the most important thing to consider before you make up your mind. However, it is also good to have a set expectation based on your geographical location and current position in the company. Start off with initial research and find out how much other people in the same professional arena are generally paid.
6| Think if the total compensation package is beneficial for you
You may be offered a very attractive salary at your prospective employers’; however, pause and think about the overall benefits you are being offered. Better bonuses, flexible schedules, more vacation time, pick-up and drop options if available, an ample provident fund contribution or an attractive health insurance offer, go a long way in keeping an employee happy and satisfied. Weight your entire compensation package instead of merely focusing on your salary.
7| If the job role is challenging enough and will let you grow
A change of job role is an important milestone in your career development plan. What is important to understand is, if it will keep you on the tip of your toes and push you to take up more challenges that will only enhance your career. Does it offer you leadership opportunities and voice your challenges or concerns in front of the management? Will your projects be rewarding enough to work on? Make sure these questions are answered in your mind and out loud by the hiring manager before you come to a decision.
Changing jobs come with a whole new set of risks. However, if you have thoroughly researched your and analyzed your prospects, then go ahead, trust your gut and take that leap with switch fast career.
For more details, you can directly visit: Imarticus Learning and can drop your query by submitting the form on the website or can contact us through the Live Chat Support system or can even visit one of our training centers based in – Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and Gurgaon.