To ensure that you are always growing career-wise in a way that is beneficial to you, there is a need to think outside the box and have aspirations that will drive you. In this era, Dr Opiyo Andala, Dean of School of Education at Mount Kenya University says, one needs to stay on the cutting edge of the industry, if at all they need to distinguish themselves. He says that there are many things one can do to build or grow their career. For instance, he mentions that one can opt for professional development classes, attend networking events, work on extra projects, and advance studies depending on what is needed, among other things that add value to one’s career. The process To ensure this, Andala says, start by embracing, or rather, learning from your failures. “Some of the major components for growth include taking risks and trying out new things. By embracing failures, it means that in the long run, one will succeed because of the experience on how things are supposed to be done,” he says. Make strategy your day job, no matter what your title is. Net photo. To work your way up the ladder, Andala says there is a need to create or build a strong networking system. “For one’s personal and professional life, building a solid foundation of professional connection in this matter is essential, and this should start with colleagues, managers, and former employers by learning from every level,” he says. Setting goals is also important when it comes to growing your career. Andala explains that when you set goals, it gives you the framework to achieve milestones, and if one has the desire to do or complete certain things in life, it is a great start. Eliud Nsengiyumva, an entrepreneur, says in most cases, it’s essential to focus on short and long term goals. He explains that with long term goals, there is motivation for one to improve and keep moving. And that short term goals keep you on track towards achieving long term goals. The entrepreneur says another way of growing your career is by looking for a mentor, and this can be someone inside or outside your organisation, or line of work. He explains that having a mentor doesn’t mean you aren’t sure of what you are doing, or that you need someone to guide or help you grow. Rather, you need someone to add significant value right throughout your career. The work of this particular person, he says, can range from guiding to supporting you to achieve your goals. “Learning from someone successful, especially in your field of interest, helps boost your confidence and will often provide you with some great strategies to deal with the challenges you might face along the way,” he says. Andala says that another strategy is to work on different projects. These should be projects that introduce you to new skills and even contacts. Also, challenge yourself by changing jobs at least every few years. This, he says, will create more advancement opportunities in the future. “It’s also important to go beyond your job description and do extra to develop your skills and advance your knowledge in other areas,” he adds. Also, Nsengiyumva says, growing your career means taking up tasks voluntarily as it teaches you to do things under minimum supervision. It is essential to continue learning about your current workplace, he says, because the more you learn about your company’s operations and goals, the easier it is to find ways to make yourself more useful.
