Salvaging Your Career When It Is Not Going as Expected

Is your career not going the way you expected it? A recent article by Forbes highlights seven strategic tips to still salvage your career:

1. Put on your sleuthing hat. What kind of position do you want? What are the requirements of this kind of position? Do your research and find job descriptions of similar positions. Look to see if you have the right skills, experience, education, and certifications needed for such a position.
2. Analyze the gaps. Are there areas you are lacking? List out all of these areas. Brainstorm ways you can overcome these gaps. This may include taking courses or getting additional experience from unpaid work.
3. Create your career development plan. Create and implement an action plan. Seek to gain the skills you don’t have.
4. Ask for more responsibilities. Volunteer for new projects or work assignments. Use these opportunities to learn new skills.
5. Prove your value. Prove your value every single day when you go into the office. Continuously self-evaluate the quality of your work.
6. Think of yourself as an internal consultant. Think of yourself as more than a normal employee. View yourself as a consultant—someone who is paid for their expertise. Determine ways to bring value to your company.
7. Increase your visibility. Spend time engaging with your manager and co-workers face-to-face. Network informally as well.