Five panda pointers: How to stay ahead of the game

Sometimes loving your job means you want to break free from the general work routine. To really excel in your career, you have to be one step ahead of your routine and open yourself up to different opportunities to build your professional image.

Here are some panda pointers to help you achieve this…

1) Learning opportunities

Our teachers at school always tried to tell us learning is fun, but we might not have paid attention. Guess what…they were right! Keep your eyes open for hidden opportunities, as sometimes there will be a great seminar or interactive session that is relevant to what you do. Sign up to more industry newsletters, follow the right people on social networks and speak with colleagues too.

There are great training sessions out there full of insights to bring back to work. Don’t be afraid to share these with colleagues so the whole team can come away with some new tricks!

2) Know what works and what doesn’t

Ever had an idea that wasn’t received as well as you thought it would be? It’s not a bad thing to have ideas that don’t come to fruition…innovation is about knowing how to move on and think bigger.

Don’t feel down in the dumps or hold on to an idea, adamant that it’s the second coming of ideas. To stay ahead of the game, you should understand why things don’t work and what you can do to improve the creative process. A great attitude like this will see you through the career maze with ease.

3) Feedback is key

Don’t be afraid to get feedback for what you’re doing. You want to stay ahead and know if there are any skills that could use improvement…no one would be taken aback if you asked that. Just organise a convenient time to discuss what can be done going forward. Here are some more feedback tips…

4) Realistic goals

‘Staying ahead of the game’ might suggest powering ahead and setting many goals to see you progress quickly in a short space of time. Well planned milestones are actually the best way for a smooth sailing in your career.

Having goals is always important, but they also have to be digestible. Setting too many hurdles will slow you down in the long run while having clear sign posts will make the career journey smoother and sweeter.

5) Identify the right opportunities 

There will come a point in your career where moving forward might mean taking a new position in a new company. Perhaps an internal promotion has become available in your current company?

It is important to analyse what every career change or decision will bring. You don’t want to make a decision and realise it was a huge mistake later on. If that doesn’t slow you down, then nothing will! You don’t have to throw yourself at every opportunity to progress just for progression's sake…identify what will really get you ahead in your career.

Next time you plan the next move in your career journey, try to apply these pointers to give you a clear path to success!