7 Tips to Grow Within a Company – By Indeed Editorial Team
What are the benefits of growing within a company?
Growth in the company can bring about some positive changes. These can include:
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Higher pay
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Better benefits
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More rewarding challenges
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Leadership positions
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New skills
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Greater professional network
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Greater professional reputation
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More opportunities to inspire change
How to grow within a company
Growth within a company offers both long- and short-term benefits. Here are seven examples of how to grow within a company:
1. Determine your path
The first step to grow within the company is to ask yourself what you would like to achieve. It’s helpful to identify a career path for yourself so you can determine the necessary steps to getting there. Your career path can be a list of long- and short-term goals that you want to achieve during your career. It may be useful to think of your path as a guide rather than a rigid set of steps you must follow, as new experiences and information may prompt you to adjust your goals over time.
When you’re identifying your career path, it’s a good idea to examine how your company’s values aligns with your personal goals: this intersection of what you want to achieve and what your company believes is important may help you more quickly identify an avenue for growth within the organization.
2. Communicate your goals with your supervisor
A great way to help facilitate your personal growth is to share your career goals with your supervisor. Supervisors often act as both leaders and support figures, so it’s important to keep them informed when career goals change. You can ask for honest feedback on your performance as well as helpful insight on your strengths and weaknesses as a team member. You can also ask your supervisor to inform you of any opportunities within the company to expand your skill set or continue job-specific education.
3. Devoting outside time to growth
The growth you experience as a person outside of work can apply to your work skills in a positive way. For example, if you’re learning to code for fun, you may be able to apply your new skills to the open developer position you’ve been looking at. Making time for professional development outside of work often requires just a few training hours during your free time.
It’s important to have a support group outside of work, too. Supportive partners, family members or friends can encourage you and hold you accountable for reaching your goals inside and outside of work.
4. Continuing your education
Education can be a pathway to growth in a company. Many businesses reward employees who expand their skill sets and knowledge through continuing education. Some employers even incentivize this growth with tuition reimbursement and other rewards. Once you have a clear pathway in mind, you can take a closer look at what education you may need to get to your goals. For example, becoming the regional manager for the company may require a bachelor’s degree or higher. Be aware of the education requirements for your goals and include them in your growth planning process.
5. Ask for a bigger challenge
Sometimes, your work can become mundane if it’s below your skill level. When you need to feel inspired, you can consider asking your employer for more responsibility or more complex tasks. This shows that you’re both motivated to improve your skills and able to complete your current workload easily. Employers often appreciate the extra help and offer more opportunities for you to challenge yourself.
6. Work with the team
Teamwork is an important part of growth because it helps solidify professional relationships and teaches the value of working with others. In most cases, you’ll be part of a team at work, and showing leadership qualities can open up new opportunities for you.
Expanding your professional network can also be beneficial at any level and is especially useful when you’re advancing. As you grow, you may have need of references or support from your network, so it’s a good idea to practice teamwork and communication often.
7. Assess areas for improvement
As you progress along your career path, it’s normal to encounter challenges. These can be great opportunities to reflect and improve your skills. Recognizing and assessing areas for growth can show an employer that you have self-awareness and are willing to work hard. This can make you a more valuable and trusted employee, as regular self-assessments can positively impact your work habits.
When you’re performing a self-assessment to assess areas for growth, it’s helpful to acknowledge your strengths before identifying your shortcomings. This helps reinforce your self-esteem. Once you evaluate yourself, you can take the first step toward improvement. Remember that improvement isn’t always an overnight process, so you can give yourself short- and long-term goals to reach and track your milestones to gauge your growth along the way.
- Written BY Indeed Editorial Team Published April 26th 2021