5 skills to develop career progression

Once you have worked in the same role for a while, it’s easy to stop developing. But if you want to improve career prospects, it’s vital that you continue to develop your skills. Knowing which skills to develop can be difficult. Below, we’ve put together a list of skills you should always look to develop if you want to get ahead in your career.

Communication skills

Communication skills are essential to anyone looking to progress their career. Those who lack communication skills will suffer if they look to take on management roles etc. So it’s vital that you take the time to develop in all aspects of communication, whether that’s by improving how you speak over the phone or adjusting your email etiquette

Time management

As you continue to develop in your career, you will likely end up with more responsibility and tasks to juggle. As your workload increases, you develop your time management skills. This skill is vital for increasing productivity in the office.

The best way you can tackle this skill is to pay close attention to how you already manage different tasks at work. Once you roughly know how long it takes to complete certain tasks, you can start to prioritise in a timely manner.  

Public speaking

The more you progress in your career, the more likely it is that you might have to speak to a group of people at once. An easy way to do prepare for this is to get used to speaking in front of people regularly.

Public speaking is a crucial skill to have, and it requires a lot of self-confidence and practice. Although it might come naturally to others, it’s a skill that is sought after by many employers, so it’s a must have skill on your CV.

Handling criticism/feedback

We all dread feedback at one time or another. Whatever the outcome, it’s worth noting that how you receive this will not go unmissed by your manager or peers. Taking criticism on board positively is something that doesn’t come naturally to many, but can easily be changed. If a person demonstrates an attitude appreciative of feedback, it shows employers that you are willing to learn – which you should always be looking to do at work. Taking feedback negatively could suggest that you are stubborn and reluctant to adapt, so think twice before you push back…

Adaptability

Think you can be flexible at work? The ability to manage multiple assignments at the same time and being flexible enough to work under ever changing conditions is massively appreciated at any workplace.

Being able to adapt from one responsibility to another gives you a massive advantage – it demonstrates your commitment to a company.