***Career Development – Phase One of Your Career Development Plan is Getting the Job, Phase Two is Getting to the Next Level

Just because you got the job you wanted does not mean that you should settle in and be content with this position. If you are interested on advancing, you should always be looking to the future. Once you are on the job, find out what may be available and when you can be considered for advancement.

It is never too soon to begin planning your next move. And as a matter of fact, when you are interviewed it is a good idea to inquire if you will have the ability to advance. Just be sure that you are paying attention to the work you are responsible for now. You need to show that you can conquer this position before you will be considered for the next. Some companies, depending on what field you are working in, may have a specific tier of advancement. You may need to go through all the positions in each separate tier before you advance to the next.

Learn all you can about how the company advances its employees and then begin to get everything you need in order. Do not announce to your fellow employees that you are after a management position; they may not want to give you the assistance you need to learn how to do your current job, if they do not feel that you are taking your position seriously. And face it you need them. Not only do you need for them to share their expertise with you, you will need their support if you do want to advance into management. Treat all of your fellow employees with respect. Never make them feel as though you consider yourself better than them, because you want to go further with your career. It is a very bad idea to make enemies on the way up the ladder; you may come down faster than you went up.

There may be unwritten rules that you will need to know about, for instance, you may be able to get a boost by learning jobs that were not listed on the agenda. Or it may be helpful to take extra classes the company offers. Find a friend with seniority to help you to map out a plan for advancement. Even when you do not have a specific plan it never hurts to have a mentor on your side.

Do things that let the company know that you are serious about your job. Be on time and do not miss work. Be willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. Be friendly and treat people with respect. Be a team player. If you are in a position to help others when they need a little extra help, do it. Create a bond with your fellow workers. If you are able to win their respect, they will help you on your climb to the top.

And once you have moved to the next level, do not forget your friends and fellow workers on your previous level. You never want them to feel that you just used them to get to a higher job. A truly successful person never forgets where they were or who their friends really are.