Building A Path For Career Visibility And Advancement

BUILDING A PATH FOR CAREER VISIBILITY AND ADVANCEMENT

Whether you’ve recently been promoted or are hoping to get that next role, you are most likely always looking for that next big step in your career. 

Our CEO and Founder, Jessica Chen, recently hosted a Soulcast Media | LIVE event on LinkedIn where she interviewed Chairman at Citi Private Bank South Asia, Lung Nien Lee. 

They shared key tips and personal experiences on how to build a path for career visibility and advancement. Having a clear path is key to getting noticed because if you are out of sight, you are out of mind.

As a VIP Communications Pass holder, this article is packed with extra tips and tools to show you how you can be a more confident communicator, including videos, downloadable tips, step-by-step instructions, and more!

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/642748876

VIP Pass Communications Video - Increasing Visibility While Working Remotely

 

1. CAREER ADVANCEMENT

During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica asked Lung his thoughts on staying with one company vs. hopping around and what that looked like for career advancement.  Lung has been with Citi for over 30 years. Lung said that each person is different and every situation is different. 

But the most important question he would ask someone is, are they having fun at their job? 

The reason he feels this is so important is if you are having fun, you will do well at your job.  Your passion for projects, your company, and your colleagues will shine through. 

He also said that it is important for you to think about what you want to achieve in your career.  Think about where you want to be. Does your company support your professional and personal goals?

• Company Programs - One way to find out if the company supports your career goals is to see what types of company programs they offer.  Some companies have management tracks and others offer higher education incentives. Be sure to check and see what your company already has.  
• Current Roles - Look at the company and see if they currently have a role you would want to reach for.  Do your research and find out if roles are expanded often or if new roles are created.  If you don't find a current role within the company, you may want to consider finding out if the role could be created.  

You also have to decide how risk-averse you are.  This means you are open to changing companies or careers even if that means that there is a certain level of risk.  You may have to take a salary decrease or make a lateral move. 

Lung emphasized that even if you aren’t happy in your current situation and are hoping to either advance within the company or move companies, you must focus on your performance and delivery. You cannot slack off. 

Even if you don’t like where you are, you still need to do well. It’s just the truth.

That means, if you are serious about advancing your career, it is important you do the best job you can possibly do.  Not only will this help you be seen as a leader within your organization, but it will help you move within or out of the company when the time is right.

 

2. COMMUNICATION 

Communication is absolutely key to career advancement and visibility.  The way you speak to your superiors, the way you write an email, and the way you communicate issues are so important.  

It's important to note that your communications style will change depending on the people and situation. For example:

• Communication With Superiors – When you are communicating with superiors or communicating upwards,  you want to keep it simple. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Succinct and to the point.  Especially when you are communicating with those in a senior position, it is important to leave out details that are unnecessary. Many people in senior roles do not have a lot of time.  You perhaps don’t have a lot of time in your role as well!  So the more direct and succinct you can be, the better. For example, let's say your team has hit a roadblock while working on a project.  You need to inform your superior of this roadblock.  What you need to do is be short and direct.  You can say something like, "while working on our project, we discovered a major roadblock.  The xyz is on backorder for the next six weeks making us unable to continue until we receive this part. I am reaching out to other fabricators, but wanted to keep you apprised." This is short and to the point. You explain the problem, how you are working on a solution, and then end with how you will keep them updated. That's great communications.
• Communicating The Problem – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Lung said that one of the most difficult things he has found with employees is their inability to distill what the actual problem is.  He found many employees tell the entire story, but as a senior leader, he is truly interested in getting down to the actual problem.  This means identifying what the problem is and breaking it down into bite-sized pieces so that your colleagues, stakeholders, etc. can understand it right away. For example, let's say you need specific parts to finish a prototype.  Unfortunately, the parts are on backorder. You can communicate the problem like this, "We have had to halt production of xyz.  The part that was needed to finish production is on backorder.  I've reached out to several other fabricators to see if they have this part in stock.  They do not. Once the part is received we will be able to continue production."
• Writing Vs. Speaking – How you speak vs. how you write are two different things. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Lung touched on the differences. He said oftentimes if you write as you speak, what you are trying to communicate gets lost because we usually speak more words than we write.  He said you lose the essence of your point.  Be sure to avoid being too wordy in your written communications. 

 

3. ACCOUNTABILITY

Visibility and career advancement are up to you.  As much as you may feel like there are circumstances beyond your control, at the end of the day, you have to hold yourself accountable for your own actions and proactiveness.

When thinking about your career, consider what you bring to work each day.  These are the things you can control. 

• High Energy – What is your energy like at work?  Can your superiors and co-workers see you are excited to be there? High energy is important. This doesn’t mean you have to fake excitement.  But if you can’t even muster enthusiasm, it will come across that you simply don’t care.  For example, what are your tone and body language communicating to your superiors and peers?  Do you make sure you are practicing positive body language in your everyday dealings? This means making great eye contact, uncrossing your arms, and sitting up during meetings.  What about your tone? Do you vary your tone of voice to communicate interest?  Or is your tone monotone?  You can control your energy with tone and body language.  Make sure you are communicating your excitement.
• Can-Do Attitude – What is your attitude like?  Are you willing to try new things?  If you are given a new project do you state all of the reasons why it won’t work or why you don’t want to try to do it?  Or are you a problem-solver? Which attitude do you think your superior is looking for? 
• Passionate – Are you excited about your career?  Hopefully, your passion shines through!  And even if this isn’t the exact perfect job for you, your passion to do well is something you can control.  So do your job to the best of your abilities.  
• Informal mentor – Do you have a mentor?  It is important to have someone that can help guide you through your career.  This person doesn’t have to be who the company sets you up with.  Many companies have mentorship programs.  However, as Lung said during the Soulcast Media | LIVE, finding a person that you mesh well with is important.  Get yourself a mentor that can help you navigate your career.
• Advocate – An advocate is similar to a mentor, but more of an ally. An advocate is someone who will pick up the phone and help you get an interview or a lunch meeting. 

You are responsible for your own career. Take ownership of your own career. No one else is going to steer your career in the way you want it to go.  You have to do it yourself. 

Career advancement and visibility can feel overwhelming.  However, there are many actionable steps you can take today to ensure that you are being seen by the right people within your organization.

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