Career Development

How to Get Ahead 
Know your organisation and where it is going. Look around and keep an eye on how you and your role fits into the bigger picture. Knowing how you fit into the whole system can give you good insight into others' roles and provide you with advantages at promotional interviews.

Identify Your Strengths
Talk to friends and colleagues. If you lack knowledge or experience in some area, think creatively and consider how you can develop it.

Get a Mentor or Sponsor  
We all have seniors, and these frequently have more experience, qualifications and knowledge than us. By developing a mentoring relationship you will be able to gain from their knowledge and experience.

Start Networking
Meetings may be tedious, but by attending you will have the opportunity to meet useful people you might not otherwise meet.

Build Your Network
Keeping links and contacts in your sphere of business is always helpful. Consider all those with whom you have worked with and where they are now and whether or not there may be benefits in renewing the contacts.

Get More Exposure
High profile projects that bring you into contact with executives and senior managers will help you develop your profile.

Talk to Head Hunters
They may not be looking at you, but seeking information on someone else, however keeping them as part of your network may mean you are their target next time.

Be Philosophical
There will be knock-backs... life is life. Remember the more successful you are as you rise, the tougher the competition will be.

Get feedback
Always ask for feedback as this will help you develop and understand where you need to work at things.

Take Charge
No one will do this for you. If you want to develop your career... if you want a promotion... it's largely up to you! No one will carry you up the ladder.