Climbing the corporate ladder doesn’t have to be a challenge right now. Even though most workplaces are still adhering to lockdown rules of working from home, there is no need to keep your career locked in its current place.
Consider your job trajectory as if it were your investment portfolio. Constant check-ins and regular interactions are necessary to make sure things are growing and moving as expected. To maintain your professional momentum, keep in contact with your boss and ask questions, request feedback, seek training for new skills, and be present. Make Zoom, Skype, Slack, or any other video chat platform a priority for conversations so you reinforce your personal commitment to the job.
Any investor will tell you that a solid stock strategy includes some element of risk. The same is true now: be ready to do things that take you a bit out of your comfort zone. Volunteer for the project you might have otherwise avoided; raise your hand (virtually) for that nuanced client call; sign-up to learn a new skill. Get in touch with a colleague who is a star at some aspect of your work and ask them to share their knowledge. Your workmates will like that you have noticed their strengths, and your boss will appreciate you taking the initiative.
When looking to diversify your shares, you might read about a new venture or research an emerging market. If you are seeking a new, or expanded, position in your workplace, find time to talk to people outside of your immediate team. Set a remote coffee meet with an associate who does something interesting that is related, but not directly involved, in what you do. This will position you with new groups of people and give you more relevant knowledge that you can leverage for your own- and the company’s- overall success.
Nowadays, it is impossible to have any kind of reasonable financial footprint without the involvement of a bank and at least a few professional money managers. You wouldn’t trust your money to just anybody, and you would gauge every aspect of your communication with them. Do they respond promptly? Do they look and sound put together when you talk to them? Do they take you and your concerns seriously? Your boss is probably gauging your commitment to your job by many of the same parameters. That is why it is so important to communicate effectively and set reasonable expectations for yourself and your workplace. Make sure you take any work calls or video conferences in a quiet and calm location. Have your camera on and be presentable. You don’t have to respond to every email immediately when it comes in, but make sure you do get back to the sender in a reasonable timeframe.
In business, stocks, and the office performance matters. Just like every investment is measured by its overall performance and practical dividends, your professional output is your primary vehicle for growth. In the current economy, trends can seem a bit haphazard and unruly, but those stocks that perform well overtime, and prove themselves to be sturdy and resilient will be kept. Make every effort to maintain top-notch professional functioning. Nobody expects you to be at the top of your game all the time, but your execution should be consistent and on-point when it matters most.
