Onward and Upward: Continuous Improvement in Your Career

“There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Recognizing your own growth or continuous improvement in your career can sometimes be difficult. Even the day-to-day challenges we overcome can be excellent sources of growth, but it takes a patient mind to recognize them. When somebody is feeling stuck or spinning their wheels in their career, it’s common to assume that their role or environment needs to change, but sometimes, the real answer lies inside: it’s the you that needs freshening up. Like oxygen masks on an airplane, it’s important to secure your own before spending energy on helping others or improving your external environment. In the long run, if you realize that your role or environment did need a change, all of the time and energy spent on improving yourself will still pay off.

Here are some thoughts to consider when you are securing your oxygen mask and pursuing ways to improve yourself:

• Tuition Reimbursement – Statistics show that most organizations and employers offer some sort of tuition reimbursement or assistance, but the utilization of that benefit can be as low as 2%! Consider that: employers budget for an investment into their employees every year that gets left on the table. Pursuing additional and optional education is a great way to step out of your usual environment, engage with new faces and personalities and improve yourself, all the while showing your employer and peers that you care about self-growth.
• Trade Shows and Conferences – Regardless of your profession, trade or industry, there are likely a wide variety of conferences and organizations available that you can benefit from. What better way to spark your interest and enthusiasm in your career than to surround yourself with exciting new developments, products and seminars all related to your expertise or what you want to learn more about?
• Employer-Provided Training – Before seeking training opportunities outside of your company, be sure to exhaust all internal options. Not only are they likely to be free, but they may also be required. Training courses that are required for compliance or other strategic needs may not provide the horizon-broadening experience you’re looking for, but you’ll want to show your employer that you take your training and growth seriously. Clean your plate… and then ask for more!
• Job Shadowing, Mentoring and Temporary Placement – Need to change things up? Seek a mentor who’s in a role you’re curious about and set up time to hear about their path. If it sounds like something you’re seeking, explore job shadow opportunities. Even changing job roles for a few months could help you know what next steps are right for you. Getting perspective from other roles in your organization can drastically improve your effectiveness and value, even if the new role isn’t right for you in the long run.

At Faith Technologies Incorporated (FTI), one of our guiding core values is to “redefine what’s possible.” Our customers are incredibly innovative and dynamic, so we need to be, too! We offer a vast selection of internal training opportunities and resources for our team members, along with tuition reimbursement for applicable outside learning.

What’s next in your continuous improvement journey? Get out there and grow!

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Carl Sagan