Career in IT. Planning

Building a career

Today, more than ever, most people are responsible for building their own careers.

If you are just starting out or have a few years of experience, these paragraphs can help you move up the career ladder.

The top 9 career planning tips are below:

1. Never stop learning

"Lifelong learning" is your key phrase.

The world is constantly changing, and everyone is looking for new ways of doing business.

If you have decided that your current skills are good enough, you have also decided that your current job is good enough.

But if you want to make a career in the future, you should regularly update your skills and knowledge.

2. Ask, listen and learn

A good listener can learn a lot.

Listen to your colleagues, boss and superiors. You can learn a lot from their experience.

Ask people you care about and listen to what they have to say. Let them tell you how things work and what you could do better.

Many people would love to be your free mentor.

3. Do your current work

Your current job may be the best place to start your career.

There is often very little that separates successful people from ordinary people. But nothing is given for free.

If you do your job well and fulfill your responsibilities, this is often the best way to start a new career.

Talk to your manager about what you can do. Suggest improvements. Offer to help when help is needed. Instead, ask for help to build the best career you can. Often this is possible – right inside your organization – especially if you've proven yourself to be a valuable employee.

4. Create your network

Your network can be the next step in your career.

Did you know that more than 50% of all jobs are obtained from contact networks?

If you have a good network of contacts, this is also a good place to discover your future career, explore new trends and explore new opportunities.

Spend some time making new contacts and remember to maintain existing ones.

One of the best ways to get serious information from your network is to regularly ask your acquaintances how they are doing, what they're up to, and what's new in their careers.

5. Define your current job

Your current job should be real, not predictable.

When you start a new job, talk to your boss about your priorities. If you're not sure what's most important, ask your manager. And ask him or her again. Often you will be surprised by the difference between what you assume and what is really important.

6. Define the next work

Your dream job should be defined.

Before you start planning your future career, make sure you identify your dream job.

In your dream job, you'll do everything you love and nothing you don't. What kind of work is this?

Do you like or dislike being responsible for other employees? Do you like working with technology or with people? Do you want to run your own business? Do you want to be an artist, designer or skilled engineer? A manager?

Before building your future career, define your goal and task!

7. Prepare yourself

Your dream can come true tomorrow. Be ready!

Don't wait a second. Update your résumé now and keep updating it regularly.

Tomorrow your dream job could appear right in front of your nose. Prepare for this with a professional resume and be ready to portray yourself as a highly valuable employee to anyone who tries to hire you.

If you don't know how to write a résumé or how to describe yourself, start learning it now.

8. Choose the right tools

Choose the tools you can handle.

You can build your future career using many different tools. Studying at W3Schools is easy. Getting a full master's degree is more challenging.

You can greatly improve your career by studying books and tutorials (like the ones you'll find at W3Schools). Short-term courses with certification tests can add valuable weight to your résumé. And don't forget: your current job is often the most valuable source of new skills.

Don't choose an instrument that is too heavy for you! First of all, choose what you are interested in and like.

9. Make your dreams come true

Make your dreams come true.

Don't let a busy job kill your dreams. If you have a higher goal, put it into action right now.

If you have plans to further your education, get a better job, start your own business, or something else, you shouldn't use your day job as a 'waiting spot.' Your daily work will become more and more busy, you will be classified as office rats, and you will only burn your energy in vain.

If you have this energy, you must use it now and only for yourself, to realize your dream.