The 4 Most Common Mistakes People Make with Career Progression

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What is Career Progression?

Career progression simply put is the path you take to progress within your career journey, whether you want to progress within your current role or start fresh in a completely new industry, the process can often be challenging to navigate. Some careers have naturally precise paths you need to take if you want to advance, others, you need to push yourself in the appropriate direction.

If you’re wanting to progress within your career or even unsure where to even begin, here are the 4 most common mistakes you shouldn’t be making within your career progression:

1. Having No Plan in Place

Not building a career progression plan is easily one of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to career progression. A plan should be considered as one of the most crucial elements when diving further into your career. By building a career progression plan you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what you want from your career and what you need to get done to advance further. Devising a plan will allow you to highlight things such as what path you need to follow, what skills you'll need to get there and the timeframe you want to meet. To make sure your plan is effective, spend the time to make sure it’s well thought through and achievable. Remember, there are a ton of amazing websites that can help you when building a plan, most importantly, be honest with yourself and follow the career path that you see yourself thriving in.

2. Not Talking to Your Manager

Before making any life-changing decisions, don’t be afraid to talk to your current employer. The one person (apart from yourself) who can truly help assist with your career progression goals is your manager. Although this seems like an obvious decision to make, most people feel too afraid to discuss their personal career goals with their manager. It’s necessary to take the time to speak to your employer and discuss things like career progression within your department or the entire company, familiarising your manager with your personal goals will allow for you both to work together to create changes and further progress within your company and career. Remember, your manager was once in your shoes and has gained experience over the years. Make sure to listen to their advice and take any feedback they give you. If you're unsure how to lead the conversation, take in your career progression plan to show them!

3. Settling

Rule number 1 of business, never settle. Although you might love your job, your colleagues and your manager, if there's no room for you to further progress your career in the direction you want, it’s time to start seriously thinking about moving on and exploring your options. Staying at a job you hoped you would progress at just because of the reasons mentioned or the security aspect is never a good idea in the long run. Not being able to advance in the direction you hoped for will only lead to decreased job satisfaction and a decline in your well-being. To effectively find new opportunities that could lead you to your dream career path, the development of a career progression plan and the tips mentioned throughout will help lead the way.

4. Not using a Mentor

Finding a mentor is often a step overlooked by people. A great mentor will help you learn and grow professionally, aiding you on your career progression path. Finding a mentor will not only help you discover the skills you need to progress but also be there to help and guide and support you throughout your professional journey. A mentor will be able to assist you with any difficulties you face within your career progression but also listen to all of your ideas and provide you with an unbiased perspective on your progression goals.

Need help finding the perfect mentor? PushFar is a free professional career progression and mentoring platform, with thousands of registered professionals readily available to help you take your career to the next level – find out more about us here.

In Summary

Career progression has become increasingly essential, with recent statistics showing that 87% of millennials believe that professional development and career progression are significant to their career journey. Advancing within our careers is something we should all be thinking about during each stage of our careers, with each of us having a clear idea of where we want to be within the next 5, 10 or even 15 years. It doesn't need to be a scary experience, if you follow this post and don't make the 5 mistakes mentioned, you should find yourself meeting your career goals in no time!