9 Tips to Help You Grow Your Career

One of the best ways to grow your career is to stop and do a career audit.

What does this mean? It means you should sit down at least once a year and reflect on where you’ve been and think about where you’d like to go.

We have compiled 9 things to consider when you do a career audit.

1. Ask for feedback

You can only improve on areas you know need improvement. Ask your manager, colleagues and peers if they have any feedback on areas you can work on.

Create a plan on how you can make improvements and start actioning them. This will give you a higher chance of receiving a promotion in your existing job, or help you obtain a higher position at another company.

2. Update your resume

Updating your resume on Seek and Linked will make you more visible for headhunters. They will be looking for certain skills and experiences which they can see on your visible profiles.

It is also a great way for you to notice any gaps on your resume. Your gaps might help direct you into the next job you need to get to your long-term goal.

3. Build and maintain relationships

Building relationships and maintaining them with colleagues and ex-colleagues will help keep you top of mind when new opportunities arise.

You should also build relationships through industry specific networking. Attend events, join committees and have the appropriate memberships.

Getting to your career goal is not always what you know, but who you know.

4. Keep track of accomplishments

It’s easy to forget your accomplishments over a long period of time, so it’s best if you keep a working document that you add to every few months. This will particularly help you during the job interview process as you can readily reflect on your achievements.

5. Reflect on your strengths & weaknesses

“What are your strengths and weaknesses,” is the number one interview question likely to come up. Knowing your strengths and being confident in delivering them is important. Just as important is being self-aware of your weaknesses and having a genuine response to this question.

Interviewers aren’t looking for weaknesses that are hidden strengths. They understand that everyone isn’t perfect at everything. Instead, what they’re looking for is self-awareness and what you do to turn your weakness into a growth opportunity.

6. Need training?

Reflecting upon gaps in your resume and weaknesses that you might have may open up opportunities to have some further training. Eagerness to learn new things is a quality that employers look for.

Not only should you keep on top of training in your current field, but you should also be open to learning new things too.

7. Talk to a recruiter (that’s us!)

A recruiter can help you gauge a realistic view of your career and inform you on the steps you should take to grow.

Recruiters are well-networked in the industry and have knowledge of opportunities you otherwise wouldn’t know about to help get you closer to your career aspirations.

8. Get a mentor

Mentors can be extremely valuable to personal development and career growth. Mentors are great to bounce ideas off, keep you on track and provide a sounding board for topics you generally can’t speak to your manager about.

9. Make a plan

Once you have completed the career audit, it’s time to make a career plan. Your plan will help guide your next step and give you something to strive for.

We are able to help you with step 7, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

• Peter Sheppard: 0400 349 913 or peter@blakeoliver.com.au
• Vasia Laliotis: 0410 703 733 or vasia@blakeoliver.com.au
• Laurie Paine: 0414 023 733 or laurie@blakeoliver.com.au

Good luck with your career audit and we’re confident by completing these 9 steps you’ll be on your path to your dream job.