This is the third post in our series on how to accelerate your career in your twenties. In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing lots of useful tips and advice in these articles to help you master the early stages of your career and rise quickly through the ranks. This week we look at the importance of commitment.
Nowadays it’s quite common for younger people to job-hop every few years. In fact, most employers will probably take you on as a new graduate knowing full well that you might only be with them until you find something better, and that’s fine. It’s the way things are done. But if you genuinely like your job and see a clear path up the career ladder, let your employer know. It may not have occurred to them that you’re in it for the long haul and discovering that you are may be enough to get them to fast-track you up that ladder. Some employers hold promotions back for more experienced staff because younger staff are seen as flakey. If you’re not, tell your employer.
How to tell your employer you’re in it for the long haul
You can do this however you see fit. If you have a good relationship with your manager and already work alongside them, perhaps you could discuss it over coffee. Mention how happy you are and talk about how much you value your role in the company. Tell them plain and simple that you’d like to stick around for the foreseeable future and maybe take on some more responsibility. That way you’ll have signalled to your employer that you’re here to stay and loyalty is worth a lot these days. If you work in a huge office and only know your manager in passing, a carefully worded email may be better.
Don’t just talk about it, show it
This is an important second step. It’s one thing to tell your employer how committed you are to the company, but that won’t count for much if it’s not demonstrated. Once you’ve had the conversation or sent the email, start thinking of ways you can show your commitment. This might involve nurturing individual relationships with long-standing employees and trying to learn from them, or stepping in to lend assistance for something that really isn’t your responsibility. All of this will create an excellent impression and foster a lot of goodwill with the most important people in the business.
Finding twenty-somethings that are committed to a career isn’t as common as you might think. If you’re one of the lucky ones who genuinely loves their job, don’t let your employer think that you aren’t. Show them that you’re in it for the long haul and they’re far more likely to reward you accordingly. After all, why would they give a promotion to someone they thought was going to jump ship at the first sight of a new opportunity? Particularly someone who’s young, talented and full of ambition.
For more tips on acclerating your career, see the other posts in this series or just click here to download our free ebook.
