To advance one's career, they must have a plan. Career advancement takes many forms, from climbing the corporate ladder to taking on responsibility in one's current role. Regardless of what one is striving to achieve, this is only possible if they have a plan to guide them through the process. Devising a clearcut career roadmap will equip them with that blueprint and a foundation to help them move their career forward. This article is meant to offer insight into all the different ways in which one can go about advancing their Engineering, Science, Technology, and Management professions. Having Clearcut Objectives Without a defined set of objectives to work towards and without a timeline to work within, it is much more difficult to achieve one's goals. Without intentions, a timeline is simply a timeline. Using them together is how one can be successful. The goals that one sets for themselves give them something to achieve and the schedule helps in keeping them accountable and on course to fulfilling these objectives. Referring to one's career roadmap and taking a look at their plans for years one through five goes a long way. These are their biggest long term goals. To achieve these big goals, they will need to break them down into smaller, more manageable short-term goals. Thinking about the action they need to take to reach the next level in their career, the skills they will need to acquire, who they should be networking with to help them grow, etc., will help them devise this plan effectively. ICASETM - International Conference in Dubai Defining Both Long & Short-Term Goals One should really take the time to examine and think critically about their ambitions. There's no limit to the number of short-term goals one can create, but generally, more is better than less. Once one has identified their long-term and short-term goals, it's time to add them to the career roadmap. The more detailed the plan, the simpler it will be to stay on track to achieving all the listed goals. Wholeheartedly Receiving Any Advice Given Feedback is a great source of information to help measure progress and make sure one's career plan is on track to meet their goals. Those who only have formal reviews twice a year should schedule a recording meeting with their manager between reviews, without limiting their comments to superiors. This feedback can also come from their peers, as they will be able to provide a distinct viewpoint and outlook on one's work and achievements. Asking one's peers to assess their strengths and weaknesses or provide specific feedback about a time they've worked together should also offer valuable information. For those in managerial positions, asking employees for reviews works out great as well. The more diverse the sources of feedback, the more one is likely to learn. Sticking Close To Management There are usually a lot more opportunities for advancement than one might think. Talking to managers just to see what career opportunities continue to remain within the company and sharing goals with them to see how they can help fulfill them should be on everybody's agenda. By talking to the manager and letting him/her know one's aspirations, they are putting themselves on their radar. If they support them, they will offer help and advice to help them achieve their goals. Networking Without Ceasing The only way to advance one's career, whatever their goal may be is to have the help and support of others. Leveraging one's network every step of the way will stand them in good stead. When thinking about their definition of success, talking to one's mentor or a trusted advisor should also be taken seriously. When creating long-term goals, talking to managers to see what the opportunities are for advancement proves to be vital. Once it has been identified what needs to be done next, finding the people who currently occupy those roles and asking them about how they got there and other advice, will offer up incredibly valuable insight on what needs to be done. The more information one gets, the clearer their action plan becomes. Together, these actions help them create their career roadmap, which in turn becomes their action plan and guide to career development. It is important to remember that it's not set in stone, and one can update it with new goals at any time. A career path isn't a straight line from one point to another, so one shouldn't feel like they have to follow a fixed path to get there. The highly anticipated upcoming Dubai International Conference titled the 'International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering, Science & Technology and Management (ICESTM-20)', which will take in the beautiful hill station of Shimla from the 27th to the 28th of December 2020, will offer participants numerous opportunities to interface with experts and expand their professional network. Be The Go-To To Take One For Your Team One of the easiest ways to start accelerating a career is to take action and do the things that others refuse to do. When the boss asks someone to volunteer to do something difficult, one has to act and agree to carry out the task. By undertaking and successfully accomplishing what others refuse to do or say (something that's outside of the job description), they distinguish themselves from the crowd. What's even more important is that it helps make them the 'go-to' when something critical needs to be done. As a consequence, when it comes to promotions and pay raises, the person who volunteers and is always open to doing what needs to be done for the company takes the cake over those who are apprehensive. No Time To Rest & Procrastinate No matter what one learns or becomes the subject matter expert in, there is always more to learn. Mastering each new skill always reveals a missing one. Gaining expertise in that skill then reveals a whole other skill that needs considerable learning and delving into. All Engineers and Scientists, as well as, Management and Tech professionals, need to stay hungry for knowledge and stay humble to know that they don't know everything. Especially in Engineering and Technology, fields that are changing so rapidly with new tools, concepts, and capabilities coming out every year, keeping up to date and continually learning ensures that skills don't get stale and keeps one on top of their game at all times. Taking part in high-level conferences such as the much-anticipated 2020 International Conference in Dubai titled the 'International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering, Science & Technology and Management (ICESTM-20)' is a great way to spend time learning, growing, and accelerating one's career growth. Never Shying Away From A Challenge There are not many employers who don't get thrilled when they see a candidate who not only goes to work and gets the job done but also goes home to continue experimenting further and learning more. When entering a job interview, a person cannot bring material from their current employer to show what they have done and are capable of doing; however, a home-made project on their own time can be presented. For Engineers, Scientists, and Tech professionals, this might involve designing a circuit board, developing software, or creating an application that serves in solving a real-world problem. Talking about such projects in interviews is a sure way to stand out. It also allows the interviewee to guide a potential employer through the design process, pointing out issues and how they were resolved and even what they would do differently next time. It provides a great topic of conversation and allows them to show off what they can really do. Never Shying Away From A Chance To Strike Up A Conversation One easy way to help accelerate a career is to learn to control and lead the conversation. In an interview process or even just in standard meetings, there will undoubtedly be questions or requests that a professional (especially an Engineer, Scientist, or Management professional) would probably prefer not to answer. Learning to deflect the answer to a question and then talk about something the individual wants them to know is a great way to help guide the conversation. Acquiring More Accreditations Getting a certification or a graduate degree is another way to show off expertise and help raise a professional above their peers. These can range from traditional university degrees such as masters or doctorates to bachelor's degrees. Depending on the field of Engineering, Science, Technology, or Management, there may even be industry specific certifications that one can go for to prove to potential employers that they're serious about what they do. The upcoming Engineering conference Dubai ICESTM-20 will shed light on how one can go about doing so. Looking For Inspiration Finding a mentor or coach is a great way to manage a career. A mentor can assist in answering inquiries based on their own expertise and help guide and direct a career path. Mentors are generally more willing to ask the tough questions and push an individual harder than they normally would. They can provide a new perspective as a third party that can help an engineer begin to look at their career or a problem in a new light. The result is, hopefully, helping to motivate and change the way the individual thinks, which makes them perform better in the long run. If you're eager to find a mentor who is well-reputed within your respective sub-discipline of Engineering, Science, Technology or Management, then the upcoming conference 2020 in Dubai, titled the 'International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering, Science & Technology and Management (ICESTM-20)', is a must-attend event for you. Set to take place in Shimla from the 27th to the 28th of December 2020, this conference will witness many global Engineering, Applied Science, Technology, and Management experts from across the planet gathering together in a single location. Hurry and register to make use of this exceptional opportunity. Networking On Digital Platforms The final tip to help accelerate one's career is to have a good social media presence. This doesn't necessarily mean that one has to be a thought leader in their field, although it does help. This means that by using social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook, etc., a professional (be they an Engineer, a Scientist, someone in a Managerial position, or a professional involved in the Tech field) is able to exhibit professionalism and understanding so that it is easy for others to find and interact with them. Social media helps fill in the gaps that a CV otherwise cannot reveal. It is important to remember that being visible and standing out is crucial when it comes to quickly accelerate and transforming one's career.
