Top 7 tips to boost your career

Since the start of your professional career, you have wanted nothing but to build and foster your career. In today’s world, there are many ways where you could hone your skills as a professional in the industry you prefer and take that next step.

Here are Beepo’s top 7 tips on how to boost your career:

1. Show enthusiasm
   
   With the amount of work that comes in every week, it can be challenging to remain enthusiastic. However, sometimes it is all in the mind and you have to be your own cheerleader. To be enthusiastic about work is all about your mental state. Attack your tasks with energy. Get interested in the work, and the energy will come naturally.
   
   Here are some pointers for increasing your enthusiasm towards work:
   
   
   • Watch and listen to podcasts and TED talks
     Absorb information and motivate yourself while gaining a new perspective.
   • Cure procrastination
     Put an end to procrastination, this can seriously affect your job performance and your career options if not careful. Stop putting off important emails and tasks, doing this only hinders your own performance. Make a daily list of things you need to do in a day and number them in order of importance. This way, you know they need to be done and make it realistic in what you can achieve in a day.
   • Read, read, read
     Reading tips and hints from books, case studies, articles, and more can help you learn priceless lessons.
     
     
2. Strive for excellence at work and challenge yourself
   
   A little pressure is good for you. Since it makes you push and challenge yourself. Do not be content with good, aim for great things.
   
   If your manager or supervisor asks if anyone can volunteer for a certain project that is out of your comfort zone but you are eager to learn from it, don’t be afraid to speak up and take on the challenge. It could be a huge opportunity. It’s a win-win situation because not only do you get to learn and hone new skills, but you will also show your manager what you are capable of.
   
   Move forward and give everything your best and you will naturally see and realize how this becomes key to boosting your career. There is no better competition than with yourself.
   
   
3. Find a mentor or become a mentor
   
   You can have several mentors and you’ll have them in different phases of your career. The point is to act like a sponge and absorb every professional advice they give you about the career you are pursuing. Hone them and create a student-mentor relationship. In this way you are not only improving your skills and knowledge, but you are also widening your network.
   
   Look back to the time you had co-workers and former managers you’ve had that served as great mentors. Use the skills and knowledge you learned from them and pay it forward by becoming a mentor yourself to whoever needs your professional advice and also your “big sister or big brother” advice. This can be a great way to boost your professional confidence, resulting in feeling fulfilled and having a new perspective in your role.
   
   
4. Work on your communication skills
   
   Be a strong communicator. When writing and replying to emails, be clear and straightforward.
   
   Try to open your “Sent Mail” folder and re-read through all of your work-related communications. Know your mistakes and what needs to be improved. You can also ask for feedback from your co-workers and you might be surprised as to what communication errors you’ve made through the period of your professional career.
   
   
5. Tidy up your social media accounts
   
   You never know who is checking your social media accounts. It is important to check on them and delete what needs to be deleted. Especially if your past posts seem inappropriate. Remember, you are your brand and to keep it professional. Act as if you are in the shoes of an employer or a recruiter. Scrutinize your social media Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social profiles.
   
   It is a given that your profile should not be boring. But, one effective way of marketing yourself as a professional that could be of value to a company is to clean up your social presence. Present any work you have done to build your credibility, create pages that offer portfolios and awards that you have received in your career.
   
   
6. Acknowledge your workspace
   
   During these problematic times. Most of us are in the comforts of our homes while working. And it is a fact that working at home can be stressful and can also make you feel less than inspired
   
   Create a dedicated and organized workspace so that you will rewire your brain that in this space that you have organized, you must acknowledge that it is “work time”. If not taken seriously this could lead to you underperforming instead of performing well.
   
   Here are some ways you can do to improve your workspace:
   
   
   • During breaks, take time and go through your things.
   • Scan documents on your desk and your computer, then discard everything you think is clutter and is not needed.
   • Create an adequate filing system.
   • Organize your workflow based on your tasks for the day.
   • Clean any unnecessary emails in your inbox.
   
   
   
7. Consider your career a business
   
   Consider your career like it was a business. In this sense, market and “sell” yourself in a professional way. Start by improving your Linkedin profile. Build connections, interact with them, fix your highlights, experiences and lots more.
   
   Click here to learn more on how to improve your LinkedIn profile.
   
   Most of the time the best way for you to boost your career and take it to the next level is by challenging yourself in many ways. You may make mistakes along the way but it is inevitable. In your journey you will learn new skills, grow as a person and professional and expand your horizons.
   
   Ready to up-skill your career with Beepo? What are you waiting for? Apply now!