How many articles have you read over the years on careers and tips on “making the best of your career”?   Too many. We get numb over constant bombardment. Maybe this article is just another one on the pile, but maybe not. How can you make the best of your current role, yet look ahead at improving to the next opportunity? Keep reading…

Whether you have worked for one company since college or grad school, or changed companies often, the work environment is basically the same. You need to be aware of your options, evaluate them, and make the best decision.

Over this past year during coaching calls, these recommendations have stood out and returned results. Here are some thoughts, and they work:

• Evaluate all department opportunities within your group. If you feel “stuck in neutral” at your current position, explore the next opportunity with a focus of learning something new and stretching yourself. We all go through stages of disappointment, discouragement, rejection, and missing out on that key promotion. When it happens, we have the tendency to be upset and flee. Instead consider staying the course. Remember, attitude is everything!
• Find out your timetable for the next promotion. This is key. Normally your supervisor needs to hear from you as to why moving to the next level is deserved and justified. Often times we don’t plant the seed early enough. Make your desire for advancement known. It’s a bold, and even uncomfortable move for some people, but it shows initiative and commitment.
• Make sure bonus percentage and salary increase are in line with your performance.                            Many supervisors routinely ask their direct reports to self-evaluate. This is ideal, and to your advantage. Be honest in the evaluation and highlight accomplishments as well as skills you want to improve. Detail study/project documents to help support your facts are necessary. When you meet to discuss with management, be ready with additional information highlighting past projects and campaigns. In that meeting, you are selling yourself.
• Stay connected on social media sites more inclined towards business, (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.).                 When convenient, pick up the phone, have a conversation with people you trust, and/or want to get to know. People need people You will glean new information and it will be good to know. Make the time to network.

And finally, in golf there is a saying, “commit to the shot”. When golfers do this, the outcome is always better. If you are focused, and have gathered your info, go ahead and follow through. Seldom do impulses work long term. Gather your facts, commit to the shot!

Make it Count!

Steve Kane, PharmaOne Search