If you’re reading this, odds are that you want more from your career. Many professional working women find great fulfillment from chasing the next role or next project, and that’s a healthy & normal part of career growth. Actually making career changes though – that can feel a bit intimidating. Sometimes it can even feel like the HR team at your company are the tight lipped gatekeepers to your future success. Ever wished you could look into their brains and find out the secrets to really crafting a long term successful career at your company in the right way? Well – now you can.
I’m sharing some of the best kept secrets I’ve learned from HR professionals & from my years as a career success coach that I want all my community members to know if they’re looking to grow in their company or establish themselves as a leader and high potential candidate for development!
-
Personal responsibility is key – YOU have to take charge of your career growth plan, first. Many of us become passive in our career, waiting until a new position opens up before we start considering whether we’d be a good fit. This is a quick recipe to feel like you’re always chasing roles and feeling discouraged. Instead, take it upon yourself to determine what you want out of your career, what your long term goals are in the company, and the unique value only you can provide. An HR team member can’t be a bigger champion for your career than you are!
-
There’s always money in the banana stand – aka HR often has money they’re willing to share with you! Most companies have money set aside for employee development, and all you need to do to access it is to make a clear case for how it will make you better at your role AND what type of ripple effect it will create for those around you. For example: if working with a leadership coach would make you more confident, great! They want you to feel confident in your role. But if you’re able to share how working with a leadership coach will help you support each member of your team and their ability to perform with excellence, the argument becomes stronger as the impact grows. And funds aren’t just for things like conferences. Coaching and courses are sound investments your HR team is likely familiar with!
-
Communicate, communicate, communicate! HR professionals are incredible and often highly intuitive people – but they can’t read minds. Instead of getting your feelings hurt because you weren’t considered for a role, make sure you’ve clearly communicated the types of roles you’d love to be considered for or given a heads up about.
-
Build relationships proactively, not just when you want a promotion. Look around you and recognize who might have say in your career path. Are you intentionally building relationships, excellent communication and mutual respect with those individuals? Do it now, before you have a career ask. You can build both peer & mentor style relationships, but regardless of who the person is, be curious. Use those opportunities to understand their role better and what it takes for them to be successful.
-
Investing in yourself shows them you’re in it to win it. Whether you access professional development funds or use your own money to invest in outside support that helps you show up and create more results, the HR team is likely to take notice. Share that initiative with them when it’s appropriate. There’s a misconception that high level coaching is something to be ashamed of, a last ditch effort to improve flailing employee performance that you have to keep hush hush. Nothing is further from the truth! If you’re willing to work with a coach to develop yourself from a high potential into a high performing leader, you’re signaling that you’re available for feedback and able to learn and grow quickly. Those traits are valuable as you continue to grow in your role and pursue new ones!
-
Tension is healthy. The company has needs and goals, and you have needs and goals. It’s okay for there to be a healthy tension between the two sometimes.
-
Keep trying. Even if you don’t get the role you applied for, or you aren’t approved for professional development funds the first time – keep trying! Everything is a learning process. The HR team will be the first to champion the need for more development resources, and they want you to get the support you need. They just depend on you to communicate those needs.
I offer professional coaching for rising women leaders in the corporate world, with a focus on helping them overcome imposter syndrome via professional coaching, virtual coaching, invitation only masterminds and powerful online courses. If your goals for the year include overcoming imposter syndrome and career mindset work, let’s talk! I’d love to help you build an action plan for success. Click here to apply for a free coaching consultation with me directly!
