Is the time right?
Consider the stage you have reached in your professional career. Is now the right time to consider moving up your career ladder? Have you achieved every professional goal at your current level, and now feel ready to take on new challenges? Look at your personal business achievements, and consider taking that next step if the time is right for you personally. You are more likely to achieve success if you feel instinctively that the right time is right now.
Your background creates your progression.
What experience or professional success do you have to back your request? Do you have solid professional experience, which will enable you to take on the new challenge? Can you refer to specific personal achievements in your career to date, which can endorse now as being the right time for you to take on the next level of your career? It is important to consider your professional background, as it has steered and influenced your career path to this point, and given you the foundation of professional expertise to enable your career progression.
Staff numbers at each professional level.
The timing may be right for you personally, but how many colleagues currently execute your next level role? You need to consider their likely objectives and professional route, to enable you to pass smoothly to your next level. Equally, how many colleagues are alongside you, at your current professional level? Consider where you stand in relation to all your business associates. The efforts and movements of others within your profession will influence the best time for you to successfully move up your own career ladder. You are more likely to experience success if you place yourself correctly amongst your team, and progress along your own career ladder if it complements the movement of others too.
Connection with colleagues and business contacts.
Do you have professional respect from colleagues and business contacts? Are they aware of your professional achievements and working style? Would they be prepared to endorse your request to progress to the next step of your career ladder? Business relationships are crucial for the success of each person, and you are most likely to progress to the next level successfully if those around you can confirm you have the skills and knowledge required to move to that next stage. The success of taking on a new role depends not only on your expertise, but also on how other professionals perceive you, and your ability for the role.
Your vision for the future
What is the way forward, once you are working at that higher level? What will be expected of you? How will you execute those new demands? Do you have a clear vision of the likely career path, once you have established yourself at that next level? You will need to recognise and develop further professional skills, as well as invest time in nurturing business relationships, in order to ensure the next professional level and beyond is a success.
When you are ready to move up the career ladder, your success will be more likely once you have considered, responded to, and planned for all aspects of your professional life.
By Sarah Watson, author of The Corporate Wife Handbook
