Career advancement means different things to different people. It may be that you have ambitions to climb right to the top of the corporate ladder. On the other hand, you may just want the opportunity to undertake different roles within the company.

Whatever your idea of career progression is, you need to work hard if you are going to achieve your aims. You also need to plan the path that you want to take. Here are some tips that you may find useful when developing your career path.

Understand what career progression looks like to you

When it comes to achieving success in your career there is no right or wrong way to identify the level of success. Everyone has different ideas about what they want to achieve. In order to get career progression you need to know what it is you are aiming for. Defining this will help you set goals that you need to reach in order to get to your eventual destination.

Plan the path that you want to take

Once you understand what you are trying to achieve you can plan a way of getting there. Recognise what your eventual goal is and set interim goals as necessary. You also need to assign a timeline to your plan, so that you remain motivated and on track. Make sure that all of the goals you set are SMART.

Request feedback from others

If you have an appraisal system in place where you work, you will receive feedback on an ongoing basis. However, it’s also important to seek feedback from others, not just your manager. It’s vital that you understand how people perceive you so that you have knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses.

Remember that you should accept feedback in a constructive way. You should not take any less positive comments personally. It’s important that you see them as a means of helping you improve and progress in your career. For instance, you may want to address any gaps in your knowledge that you identify through feedback by signing up for a course from a provider such as Upskilled.

Know what is happening in your industry

It’s easy to get complacent if you have been working in the same industry for many years. You may feel as though you know it all. However, things changed in every industry and you need to make sure that you are aware of these changes. You should turn yourself into the person that people go to if they want all of the latest news and information.

Take the opportunity to network

Networking is essential if you want to progress with your career. It gives you the opportunity to understand the opinions of others and to widen your viewpoint. It also means that more people know who you are and what skills you have. This may open the door to development opportunities.

These tips can all be used to help you develop the ideal career path for you.