How to Advance Your Career: 6 Actionable Strategies for Growth

What do you want to be when you “grow up”? Perhaps you know but you aren’t sure how to advance your career to get there. Maybe you have no definitive clue but want to get started.  

This checklist offers six career advancement strategies to help you define your long-term goals and implement practical ways to hit key career milestones.  

1. Set Long-Term Career Advancement Goals

You can’t know what you should do or which career development strategies to implement until you know where you are trying to get. This means taking time to figure out what your short-, intermediate, and long-term career goals are. Some guiding questions include: 

• Where do I want to be in my career in three years? Five years? Ten?
• What is my ultimate “dream job”? What career steps do I need to take to get there? 
• Does changing industries interest me? If so, do I already have the qualifications?
• Do I have specific salary milestones I want to work towards? How can I achieve those goals? 
• Do I need further education to achieve my long-term career advancement goals?

Your answers to these questions can help give shape to the next three to ten years of your life as you work towards key professional growth milestones.   

It is also important to consider how changes in your personal life can affect your career goals. For example, if you are looking to grow your family, you might not want to tackle a more demanding job with a new baby. However, you might also need to start considering how to maximize your earning potential in order to support your growing family’s needs. 

However you’d like your career to advance is up to you but ensuring that you have set out these goals is key to moving forward with intention.

2. Expand and Leverage Your Network

The old adage that it’s not what you know, but who you know (and who knows you) still rings true. The value of your professional network cannot be overstated in your career advancement journey. There are people in your network who can provide you with opportunities, advocate for you in rooms that you’re not in, or simply be someone to provide advice as you seek out your next steps.  

Here are some practical ways you can start expanding and leveraging your network: 

• Attend industry events, including both in-person and virtual experiences. This could include webinars, conferences, or networking happy hours that provide opportunities to connect with professionals. 
• Engage on LinkedIn: Firstly, ensure that your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and reflects your current experience. Secondly, consider maintaining a presence on the platform, sharing insights, thought-leadership, and engaging with people in your network. 
• Stay connected with contacts, whether these are ‘IRL’ or virtual connections, you can maintain the connection through follow-up messages or emails, or finding time for an in-person coffee meeting.  
• Foster mentorship relationships: Identifying a mentor can be helpful as you continue to grow throughout your career. This person can be a trusted resource for practical, professional, and personal advice. Perhaps this is someone whose career path you would like to emulate. Sustaining this relationship can be a source of accountability as you work towards your goals. 

3. Acquire Essential Certifications

If your career growth plan involves a pivot or industry shift, you might need to secure certain certifications or qualifications.  

Meanwhile, even in the same industry, further progress may require additional education. For example, to get a higher marketing position, you might need to first earn an MBA. 

Be sure to identify if your prospective career area or job has requirements that you don’t currently meet. From there, you can set a timeline for acquiring these qualifications.  

Investing in your professional development takes time and money — but it’s well worth the return. 

4. Invest in Continuous Learning Opportunities

Even if your next career steps don’t require formal education or certifications, it’s important to maintain and grow your skills. Furthermore, enhancing your soft skills can be just as important as additional degrees. Be mindful of opportunities to develop your leadership ability, communication skills, and emotional intelligence. 

Here is a list of various learning opportunity platforms to consider: 

• LinkedIn Learning offers online training courses across a variety of topics. Some courses even offer certifications that you can add directly to your LinkedIn profile.  
• Other online learning platforms such as Khan Academy or Skillshare 
• Industry webinars or conferences can both help you expand your network and your skills. You can even see if your current employer offers any reimbursement for professional development opportunities. 
• Self-guided resources such as podcasts, YouTube videos, or even books can be a great place to get started. 

5. Solicit Constructive Feedback

As you pursue career growth, it’s important to incorporate regular feedback from others. Doing so will help you become more self-aware and improve in ways you might not be able to on your own. 

We encourage you to ask for constructive feedback from your peers, supervisors, external mentors, or direct reports. Receiving feedback from a variety of people, although not all at once, will help you address many facets of your professional skill set. 

6. Align Your Career Goals with Your Retirement Plans

No matter where you are in your career, it is never too early to start thinking about retirement. The earlier you start planning, the better off you’ll be when it’s finally time to step away from the workforce. 

As you develop long-term career goals, you should be mindful of how your retirement planning fits in. Specific considerations include: 

• When you’d like to retire. If you are looking to retire early, you may need to put pedal to the metal and focus heavily on growing your career early on. 
• Saving for retirement. During retirement, you’ll be living on a fixed income but you still want to be able to support a comfortable lifestyle for yourself. Thinking about retirement savings can influence how much you contribute to a 401(k) or Thrift Savings Plan, or if you prioritize a career path that maximizes earning potential. 
• Retirement benefits. Maintaining a comfortable lifestyle into retirement includes ensuring that you have benefits that fit your needs. Forecasting your specific health and lifestyle needs might shape your career choices, as you look for employment opportunities that offer competitive retirement benefits.

Explore WAEPA’s Federal retirement planning resources > 

With these six strategies, you’ll be better prepared to pursue your long-term career success with confidence. Whether you’re seeking a promotion, switching industries, or mapping out your retirement timeline, intentional steps now can lead to long-term success.