Career advancement or growth is a dream for many employees. They have the right to plan their career well in advance to be prepared. Unfortunately, many of the employees do not have a clear picture or idea of planning for their careers. An employee should have a clear vision and a goal regarding their career.
The best way to get help on career advancement is to have a career discussion with the manager, and seek his advice. This article will give you a clear picture of how to facilitate career progression with managers.
Tips to practice career discussion
Prepare yourself
Prepare well before initiating a career development conversation with your manager. Make a document of all your accomplishments and your work for the organization, and prepare a report. You need to be sure what you are going to show to the manager and how you present yourself. Because the better you prepare, the more comfortable and successful your meeting will be.
Do not rush. Take your time and calmly reflect on what you need to prepare, then book a career conversation with your boss.
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Getting Connected with your Manager
The next step is to get connected with your manager. You need to discuss your situation with your manager elaborately. Start by having a casual talk. Then, slowly take the conversation to the more important topics as you progress. Present all your accomplishments to the manager and tell him that you cherish working for the organization.
Showcase the numbers that are the profits that you have gained for the company, and wait for feedback from the manager. If the manager is impressed, you will get a positive response. Meeting with boss to discuss future should not be tough.
Put forward your personal vision
Now is the time to present your vision. First, you need to tell the manager where you see yourself in 1, 3, or 5 years. Tell him what you are interested in, your specific area of passion, the area where your skills can be matched, etc. Also, be careful about the skills you would like to learn and develop and how you would get to the state where you want to be.
This will make the manager understand and clear about what you are looking for and understand you better. Also, he will understand that your aim is not only centered around yourself but also to help the organization.
Recommended Read: Top 6 Examples of Employee Training and Development Programs
Ask what you want
One of the problems with employees is how to talk to your boss about career growth. The manager would be completely busy with his obligations and ideas, so it is your responsibility to ask the manager specifically about your needs. Discussing career goals with your boss is mandatory for your success.
For example, you can ask, “Hey Mike, what do you think about my accomplishments and my progress in the company for the future?”. This would help the manager develop a career advancement plan for you, and he will have more clarity.
Develop a personal strategy
Sometimes it can happen that your ideas are not welcoming to the manager. In that case, you need to find alternate areas to showcase your skills. For example, you can talk to people in the other departments and try to help them find solutions for their problems. In this way, you are making sure that you are up to date and desire to move forward and excel in the organization.
Get the support of your manager
With all the efforts you have made and the manager knowing your accomplishments and skill set will help you move forward within the organization. He will recognize you as an asset and try to make use of it. So, both of you can come to an agreement and mutual understanding on how your career will progress within the company. This is a win-win situation for yourself and the manager.
Conclusion
How to ask for career advice from a boss is a difficult question for many. Yet, career advancement is an important aspect of your professional life. For this, you need to have a fruitful discussion with your manager and present yourself to him in a manner that is appealing and trustworthy.
Once you have presented yourself well, you can be confident that there is all the possibility that your career is safe and progressing in the organization. So make the best use of your meeting with the manager and talking to him about career advancement.
