You’ve started 2019 raring and ready to go. You’re ready to give it everything that you’ve got and to make an impact on your team. But how can you set yourself apart from the others and show that you want to climb the career ladder - and 2019 is your year to make that happen?
No matter where you are in your career, it’s always good practice to know where you want to be heading and what the next step will be. If you run out of motivation or just fancy a change, try to have in mind what you want to do next.
A new year gives a great time to make those career changes a realisation and to set goals on implementing change.
Discuss your career
Whilst not all colleagues like the idea of change or some people standing out more than others, it can be good to discuss how you are feeling with your manager. If you’re wanting to progress in your automotive career, tell your manager your desires and where you hope to be in terms of progressions and what you hope to achieve. Ask if you can have a career plan or a plan of where you are now and the steps that you need to complete in order to reach the top. Your line manager should be open in discussing this and even if there are no availabilities at present, if they are aware of your desires, they will have you in mind when opportunities arise.
Have an aptitude for learning
If you’re looking to be promoted this year, you need to show that you’re ready and willing to learn. Can you adapt to change? Are you able to retain new knowledge and use it in the workplace?
If you’re in an environment where there is the opportunity to go on training courses, ask the question whether you are able to complete training to develop your skills and knowledge.
If it’s not available with your current employer, there may be an opportunity at your local adult education college or the Open University to build on the skills that you require.
Record achievements
Don’t leave it up to your boss to keep a note of all the good things that you achieve, or all the courses that you’ve attended. Keep notes of all good work so that you have a record of achievement when looking to be promoted. This is also handy for when (or if) you change employers in the future and can prove what you have achieved in order to represent your job applications.
Show accountability
To be considered for a promotion, you’ll need to be proactive in your approach and show that you’re a self-starter, with the ability to set your own schedules, be efficient and effective in your current position. Along with this ensure that your behaviour and communication skills are second-to-none as this will also play a part in what managers will see in you when considering career prospects.
You can also take on more responsibility in the workplace. Show eagerness and the desire to hold more responsibility, gain exposure to projects, skills and procedures whenever you have the chance - you’ll be recognised as being keen and wanting to be more involved.
Customer Service
If you’re in a dealership, car showroom, dealing with customers on a daily basis - how are your customer service skills? Are you happy and approachable? Are you able to talk with ease to your customers, can you gain trust and know how to close deals? If you’re a natural people person and love to engage with customers, closing deals and generating company profits, you’ll get noticed!
Earn trust
As well as customer service and gaining trust from any customer you come into contact with, it’s important to build and earn trust with the colleagues around you and especially with the management that you are looking to impress. This doesn’t need to come at the detriment of others and becoming work’s golden-star, but by completing tasks in the way that they’re supposed to be done or by sticking to rules rather than bending them, will all go in your favour. Any promotion comes from the knowledge that you are a trustworthy individual.
Never be afraid to show your eagerness and ambition in the workplace, along with your desire to progress. If managers are not aware of your ambition, there may be missed opportunity when it comes to promotions or filled internal vacancies.
There any many responsibilities and positions that you can rise to within the automotive industry, from sales manager, technician, service manager, to general manager and much more, all of which will come with greater responsibility, greater income and a greater career satisfaction.
If you’d like advice on career changes within the automotive industry or would like an unbiased opinion of where you are at the moment and how you can progress, we’d be happy to help. Get in touch to start a conversation with us.