Do you find that you are going about your day in a monotonous routine that keeps you busy but ultimately takes you nowhere in your career? This could be because of the way you’re using your skills. How you use your skills can either hold you back or help you progress in your career. Use these helpful tips to help prevent your skills from holding you back:

 

  1. Do a skills inventory

To plan for career progression, it is important to start with a skills inventory. This will give you a clear and complete view of the skills you have and will allow you to match your skills to your career goals. When you have a skills inventory, you can evaluate which skills need to be improved and which skills you need to gain. This will help you plan for how you will attain your goals with your skills.

 

  1. Improve your soft skills

When you want to progress in your career, it is not only your technical skills that matter; your soft skills are just as important. Soft skills such as communication, adaptability, teamwork and strategic and analytical thinking skills are especially important. They determine how you work with others, how others perceive you, and how you interpret information.

 

Also read: 5 Reasons Soft Skills Are More Important Than Ever

 

  1. Use your skills in other areas

Another way you can use your skills to move forward in your career is by looking for other opportunities in your job that allow you to apply the skills you have in different, or new, roles. This will allow you to work on different projects, collaborate with other employees, and shift out of your comfort zone. You will learn new skills, and develop your transferable skills.

 

  1. Consider upskilling

Upskilling has a number of benefits for your career. It can help you improve in your current job, set you up for a promotion, or even help you land a new job. There are a variety of options available for upskilling, but it all starts with having a goal for your career. This will determine what skills you need and what studies to undertake. You can enrol for short courses, or even speak to your manager about other opportunities for further education.

 

Also read: 4 Reasons Why it’s Never Too Late to Start Studying

 

Your skills are the keys to opening the right doors for your career progression. It is important that you use them in a way that will help you succeed, and not hold you back. To get the best out of your skills, get out of the monotonous rut by ensuring that you set clear goals for your future. When you know your goals, you can put a plan in place to improve your skills. This way, you can prevent your skills from holding you back.

 

Click here to read more about 5 skills that will transform your career.