Whether you’re just starting out in the business world, or have an established standing as a pro, it’s important to continue to build on your skills, as this can help you to keep moving forwards as a professional to each new opportunity.
If you’re looking to up your game in the business industry, here are 5 ways you can upskill and become even more successful.
Gain a Qualification
By taking on a new qualification, you can learn brand new skills that will benefit your progression through the industry, and may even help you apply for a more experienced and highly-paid role.
Education providers like Anglia Ruskin University offer a selection of distance learning courses like an Online Master of Business Administration.
The flexibility of online courses mean that you can continue to work on your career and study in your spare time, which, unlike traditional academic studying, will not affect your career progression.
Network, Network, Network!
In business, if you want to further your career, the most effective way to do this is to network with others who can help you move further in the relevant circles.
To achieve this, organize informal social meetings in cafes, bars, or restaurants and have meaningful conversations about each person’s experiences, and take on board their advice.
You may also want to have some business cards printed to allow you to circulate your contact details to individuals who might be interested. Websites like Vistaprint allow you to easily design high-quality business cards with a professional finish.
Work on Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are essential in any career, but when you’re mastering the business industry, these skills can help you to progress further.
Skills including communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and marketing can be crucial in helping you to navigate the sharper corners of your everyday interactions.
These skills will also help you into a remarkable position for boosting your CV and allowing you to shoot for those higher positions within your company or the wider industry.
You may also want to update your CV regularly with the skills you have recently learned, with examples to reinforce your knowledge. This will save time when you eventually apply for new positions.
You can use CV templates like Resume to create a professional-looking CV from a template in as little as 15 minutes!
Hold Regular Performance Review Meetings
Performance reviews are so important for encouraging professional development, so holding them regularly is a great way to consolidate targets and assess progress toward them.
These meetings can give you clarity on your next steps within your organization and can be a great time to ask for advice from your line manager, whether that’s for other opportunities in the organization, or for wider career development advice.
Practice Public Speaking
The vast majority of people have a fear of public speaking, which makes it a highly prized skill to master.
Practice makes perfect, so volunteer for every public speaking opportunity you can, and make the most of the occasion to use techniques to help you become successful.
Consider making succinct notes to glance at for reminders, making eye contact with the audience, taking regular sips of water, and using body language to convey confidence.
You might also want to work on projecting your voice to the back of a room, and ask for colleagues to sit in while you practice your speech to offer constructive feedback.
If you regularly make speeches alongside a PowerPoint presentation or similar, it could be helpful to invest in a remote clicker that can progress the slides so you no longer need to keep returning to your laptop.
You should be able to find them on websites like Amazon, who stock a wide range of clickers, depending on your needs and preferences.
Do you have any tips for advancing your career in the business industry? Share your thoughts in the comments below!