Bring your career aspirations to fruition

People who have unbeaten careers have great foresight. They plan them cleverly, evaluate them at frequent intervals and leave no stone unturned to get to their zenith.  There is no reason why you cannot be like them.

You too can achieve your career aspirations, provided you are strong-minded enough. Here are some imperatives:

·   You must have aims:  If you do not have any aims, there is no point dreaming of attaining any. You should know accurately what you seek to do and be in life; it is only then that you can set your sights on your career ambitions. In particular, you should be clear in your mind about various priorities in your life; in case there are any incongruities, your move forward will be impeded. And if you have far too many aims, the chances of success will automatically stand reduced. Simply having aims is akin to dreaming; you must set a schedule for their accomplishment.

·   You should be devoted:  Nothing will materialize if you are casual. You must envision your journey ahead; and should never whiffle-waffle over the aims that you set for yourself. Your progress can take a beating sometimes and your confidence may tend to get splintered. If that happens, tell yourself that you merit victory and that nothing can impede its achievement. Working hard will be more productive if you keep the end result in mind.

·   You must think things over:  When we say that you should think things over, the meaning is that you should keep an eye on the progress achieved by you. It implies supervision and scrutiny of your timetable. Concurrently, you should also evaluate how your actions are influencing your company’s performance and growth, howsoever, minute they may be.

·   You must promote yourself:  Whatever good work you do should be in the know of your company’s hierarchy, particularly those up in your chain of command. This is to preclude the possibility of recognition being inadvertently apportioned to somebody else or your contributions being rated relatively low. While blowing your horn should be avoided, there is no harm whatsoever in putting actualities across in a subtle, yet straightforward manner.  

·   You must meet people:  Your professional success is also contingent on your capacity to meet people and sustain relationships. When you establish ties, you also carve a name for yourself; within your company, it serves to increase your popularity. Eventually, when it comes to finding the right person for a post, you will certainly be in the race for it. You must try to have maximum number of people in your network.

·   You must heed to advice and advise:   You should endeavour to identify a person whom you can look up to in when you get stuck in your efforts. In addition, you should also play a guru to some too. Besides establishing links with the environment, this will also serve to project you as a future ‘captain’.

·   You must discuss things with seniors:  You must not shy away from your seniors in discussing matters. Such interactions help in gaining esteem in their eyes; needless to say this factor is essential to move up the success ladder.

·   You must add up to your qualifications:  You gain experience in everything that you undertake and do; and every experience is a learning experience. On-the-job training apart, you must acquire formal qualifications too so that you always maintain your progressive graph.

·   You must conduct yourself well:  The image that you portray of yourself should be one of professionalism. Besides appearance, you must pay attention to your overall conduct and the company that you keep.

·   You must communicate efficiently:  You should be to articulate yourself well; learning experiences gained should invariably be shared. Efficient communications also entail good writing and listening skills. You should be able to sway others with your words.

Your fortitude and willpower to author your own destiny are undoubtedly the most potent influences for your good. Together with them, your trustworthiness and devotion are also essential to put your career in the forward movement mode. It is only then that you will be in a position to optimize your career prospects; and once you do so, your career aspirations will start fructifying.