Once you’ve done all your schooling, perhaps gained a degree, moved on to a job, and found something you enjoy (ideally, at least), what’s left? One option is to take steps to advance your career and move forward in that way - it’s not going to be something that everyone’s interested in doing, of course, and some people are more than happy to stick with the level they’ve reached and enjoy that, but if you’re considering taking the next steps in your career progression, it’s potentially a big decision to make.
It can help you make a decision about what to do next in your career and your life if you understand more about the benefits of career progression and why it’s important - with that in mind, keep reading to find out why career progress is important and how you can get started if it seems like something that would make sense for you and your future plans.
Better Job Satisfaction
Can there be a better feeling than getting a job done and getting it done well? You’ll feel amazing if you can do that, that feeling of accomplishment could be what makes you decide to progress your career - if you want to keep feeling it, the further on you go, the more opportunities you’ll have to enjoy that fantastic job satisfaction.
The problem is that although you might currently be satisfied in your job, it’s not guaranteed that it’s going to last, and if you look at the statistics, you’ll see that a good many people just don’t feel great about going to work in the morning - so much so that it can lead to stress and burnout. And part of that lack of job satisfaction can come from not being able to progress - in other words, even if you don’t want to move forward right now, knowing that you could well make a positive difference.
Other problems that can stifle job satisfaction include bad management, poor pay, and a general feeling of being undervalued - none of it’s going to make you want to try harder and get ahead. Since job satisfaction is becoming something more and more people realize is the best thing for them in terms of their mental health and overall wellbeing, finding ways to get more of it is crucial. Career progression might be the answer.
More Money
As we’ve said, job satisfaction is clearly important, and might be the most important thing of all when it comes to reasons for wanting to progress in your career, but something else that can’t be ignored is the fact that when you get further ahead in your career, you’ll earn more money - at least, that’s how it usually works, anyway.
It might be a lower priority, but it’s still going to be hugely important, and if you can take your experience, skills, qualifications, and so on and step up to the next level in your career and get a boost in your salary, would that be such a bad idea? No one wants to keep living paycheck to paycheck, and the opportunity to pay off some debts, put some money into savings, or just have a bit more freedom in terms of what you do and where you go (and what you spend) sounds fabulous.
Even if you don’t particularly need more money right now because you’re earning enough and not spending more than you feel is necessary, what’s to say something won’t change in the future? And what about your retirement? Having more money by moving forward with your career progression is something that can give you complete financial stability, and that’s something a lot of people are searching for - if you step up and decide to progress in your career, it’s something that will be within your reach.
It’s A Challenge
As we’ve said, some people are more than happy to stick where they are because they want a peaceful life without too much stress and without a job they have to think too much about - that can be just right. But for those who want to find some challenges in life and tax themselves a little more by stepping out of their comfort zones from time to time, career progression and everything that leads up to it could be what does it.
If that’s something you’re looking for but your current role doesn’t offer it, then how about the next level up? Would that give you some challenges to work on? Would that ask you to think more and do more so you’re no longer bored and frustrated? The problem is that if you’re not happy at work because you don’t feel challenged, you’re more than likely going to switch off and just do your job automatically. That can lead to mistakes and low productivity, as well as a poor end result. And you might not want to fix that because you don’t really care - you’re bored and just getting through each day until you can go home.
If you feel like that, take a look at what you’ll need to do to progress in your career. It might be that you need to gain more qualifications, like a bloodborne pathogens certification, for example, or another qualification that will help you understand more about the job you need to do, or perhaps you just need to speak to your boss - if they don’t know you want to move forward, they won’t be able to help guide you. In the end, if they won’t help and there’s nothing more you can do where you are, looking for a job in another company might be the only option left - it’s scary, but that’s the first challenge to get past, and it could pave the way for an amazing future.
Boost Your Confidence
Something else that career progression can do for you is to boost your confidence, and not just at work either; it can boost your confidence when it comes to your personal life too. Knowing you’re good at what you do - which must be true if you’re able to keep leveling up and getting further ahead - will give you a good confidence boost and prove to you that you’re worthwhile, which can be a problem a lot of people have.
The fact is that confidence isn’t something that everyone naturally has, and the more they stand still in life and at work, the less their confidence will grow. If you want to feel more confident in what you can do in life, start moving forward in your career. Every step you take further along your path towards your goals is another bit of confidence to enjoy and relish. By the time you’ve ticked everything off your to-do list, you’ll feel great and be able to enjoy life to the fullest, and that includes not just your career, but your relationships, hobbies, and anything else you do too.
Final Thoughts
If you can progress in your career, it’s going to open up many different doors for you in terms of your work, your personal life, and your overall wellbeing and happiness. Of course, you shouldn’t push yourself to do something that doesn’t suit you or you’re not happy about, but if there’s a chance you can make life better, you should take it.
It’s time to weigh up all the pros and cons and get started on your next steps, no matter what they might be. Go back to school, speak to your boss, or look for a new job - the choice is all yours.
