14 Micro Changes Proven to Propel Your Career Forward

By

Professor Theodore Henderson

The old approach to propel your career was to get a big-name graduate school in-demand MBA or lead a high profile project that pushed your company to the next level. This does happen for a tiny number of lucky individuals. The reality is that you are better off implementing micro changes to propel your careers forward. Many micro-changes can have a very macro effect on increasing your value as an employee.

If you have a desire for an increase in compensation or perhaps more satisfaction from your current job, try these basic but essential tips for taking your work efficiency to the next level. They’ll accelerate your progress rapidly. Two other posts on career success you may find interesting are How To Set Career Goals And Achieve Them and Use A Personal Website For Job Search. 

Propel Your Career Forward with These Key Micro Changes

Online Micro Changes for Greater Professional Success

The internet makes it simple to get knowledge and sometimes promote your presence. You may be able to benefit from virtual opportunities to climb the career ladder.  The following are 14 micro changes to help you do oit.

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1. Modify your LinkedIn profile. When’s the last time you upgraded your LinkedIn profile? Let associates see your latest accomplishments. Research the most efficient keywords that will make you stand apart.

Everything in your life eventually needs an update. This includes your clothing, furniture, Facebook profile picture, and most other things in your life. 

Your LinkedIn profile is no exception. If you are super serious about ways to propel your career forward, add your resume, cover letter, and network to this project as well. As a business and career coach, I take many of my clients through this process. As you progress, get promotions, and make transitions in your career, you start to grow beyond certain parts of your LinkedIn profile. In much the same way as you would your old clothes. 

Depending on if you’re job searching, starting a new job, or long-term into a role, you will need to make different kinds of tweaks, updates, and additions. To get started, go to your LinkedIn profile and access the help function. There is plenty of great information to get you started using this tool to propel your career forward.

2. Manage your network. Organize your contacts so you can follow up with the fascinating graphic designer you fulfilled on the jogging path. Whatever software application you utilize, an effective system will help you stay in touch and grow your network.

There is a multitude of reasons professionals don’t network enough. Everyone is too busy. Many others have burdensome family obligations. Still, others are introverts who don’t naturally take to the process. Take ownership and find time-efficient ways to connect with others. Seek out and learn new techniques that will make you more comfortable and fit with your personal style. 

3. Be supportive of others. Networking is more efficient and rewarding when you concentrate on giving to others. Take a moment to retweet somebody’s message or advise a former intern on LinkedIn.  In other words, if you help the right people do well they may help you propel your career at some point.

4. Follow market news. Impress others with your knowledge. Invest a couple of minutes between conferences scanning the leading business blog sites in your industry.

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5. Collect time-saving apps. Use innovation to increase your efficiency. 

Here are three that can help.

• StayFocusd: Chrome extension puts a light on how much time you spend doing nothing.
• Zirtual – Functions as your personal virtual assistant.
• Boomerang – This app will temporarily block emails for whatever time you designate. However, you can preprogram exceptions into it.

Of course, there are more, but these three will get you started.  Research and chose a program that will remember your passwords or play phone tag for you.

6. Monitor your time. On the other hand, it’s simple to lose track of time when you’re browsing online. Set limits on your YouTube sessions if you find yourself ending up being sidetracked.

Offline Micro Changes for Greater Professional Success

Face-to-face interactions still have a significant impact. Possibly that’s a lot more real today when so much interaction occurs digitally. See what a difference appearing personally can make.

7. Show effort and energy. Recognize what your employer thinks about to be the leading business priorities to understand where to devote your efforts. Discover a way to contribute that goes above and beyond your task description.  To propel your career forward showing who you are can be a great strategy.

8. Volunteer your help. Make allies by being valuable and generous. Pitch in when your office mate is dealing with a tight deadline.

It’s a great way to build skills. In some cases, you can take a leadership role or contribute to projects where you haven’t tested your skills before.

You can expand your social networks. High-quality job growth frequently comes through shifting to new positions or new companies. A network you’ve grown through volunteering can be instrumental in discovering these new opportunities.

You may be seen more positively. When you’re applying for a new job (internal or external your company), intelligent leaders will likely see volunteer efforts as evidence of motivation and reliability.  Source

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9. Speak up. Participating in meetings and business discussions will grow your self-confidence as they bring you extra approval.

The ability and self-confidence to speak up at work are crucial for several reasons. It’s essential on a personal level because it can directly impact your career. If done correctly, it can have a very uplifting effect on your career and workplace happiness. Done improperly can have incredibly adverse effects on your career, so do speak up correctly. 

10. Radiate interest. Your manager will trust and value you more if you reveal that you’re invested in your profession. Consider how your efforts contribute to the success of the business.

11. Express gratitude. Let your colleagues understand how much you appreciate them. Offer sincere appreciation and share credit for team jobs. They’ll be more likely to return the favor.

It’s likely if you have a busy job, workplace, or life, you forget to take a moment to give thanks. Many of us forget the good things we achieved in our lives and those who helped us get there.

In both good times and unpleasant, authentic appreciation and gratitude create perspective. Taking a step back from the distractions of the moment and affirming something more lasting than passing circumstances of the moment. Source

12. Dress for success. Appearances matter. Focus on the office or company culture so you can select a proper wardrobe even if there’s no formal dress code. One good guideline is to start dressing like the position you want to hold in the future.

A google search on “dress for success” returns 940 million results. A similar query on Amazon returned 389 results. This is clearly a topic that people and employers are interested in.

It’s a well-known idea that what you wear to work can benefit your career and self-image. However, it’s still not something many of us are mindful enough of. Wearing nice clothes, you feel self-confident and professional at work. This will undoubtedly affect how others interact with you.

13. Become a member of a professional association. Membership has its advantages, including networking and academic opportunities. Your employer may be willing to cover all or part of the expense.

14. Use your vacation time. According to the Harvard Business Review, staff members who take all of their getaway time have a 6.5% higher chance of getting a promotion. This percentage also applies to raises. In other words, taking vacation time gives you an advantage over your peers who are “saving” their time off. Now, that’s an enjoyable method to succeed in a company. Source

The typical full-time workweek in the United States is approximately 47 hours long. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a method for impressing your manager that doesn’t involve putting in plenty of extra hours? Implement these micro-changes and they will help you do a great job and maintain balance in your life.  Source

Visit our Recommended Business Tools page to review several excellent online business  & marketing applications.

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About The Author

Professor Theodore Henderson works with business owners, entrepreneurs, and corporate professionals on their business skills, marketing, and leadership strategies. He is an Amazon best-selling author, a Certified Career Coach, Business Skills & Leadership Coach, and a Certified Social Media Security Professional Powered by CompTIA.

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Also, visit TheHealthyBusinessOwner.com for timely and useful tips and strategies for living a healthier lifestyle.