‘I’m working hard, but feel like I’m treading water – how do I know I’m actually making progress in my career?!’
It’s a common concern. Especially when pay rises and promotions seem few and far between.
But feeling like you’re standing still in your career can leave you frustrated, demotivated and unfulfilled.
This article aims to change that. We’ll explore some of the ways you can gauge the progress you’re already making in your care role every day, and the small actions you can take now to support that progression.
Signs you’re already making progress at work
Increased confidence
As you build your skillset and encounter different challenges, you’ll feel more confident in your abilities, making decisions with ease, even under pressure. You’ll be happy tackling challenges head-on, and lean on your past experiences to solve problems.
Act on it: Confidence comes with time, but you can give yourself a leg up by investing in training. FuturU can help with that – access 100+ CPD-accredited social care courses for free today. Get started now.
More responsibility
With increased experience and confidence comes more responsibility. As you progress in your career, you might notice that you’re being assigned more complex tasks and clients with specialised needs.
You’ll have the freedom to make decisions independently and manage your own workload, and you may find yourself guiding new staff members, taking on a mentorship role or leading small projects of your own.
Act on it: Want to become a better listener, build leadership skills and make a positive difference to others? Mentoring could be for you. Check out our guide to becoming a mentor.
Progress made towards goals
One of the simplest ways to measure progress at work is to set and track goals that contribute to career growth. Dedicating time regularly to small actions that can help you reach your goals keeps progression at the forefront of your mind.
It’s very likely you’re already doing this in one way or another, but if you don’t have a formal goal-tracking process we recommend establishing one now.
Act on it: Set aside some time to decide what you’d like to achieve in your career or everyday job in the next six months – this might be skills you’d like to build, knowledge you’d like to develop, or experiences you’d like to have. Then use the SMART goal framework to create a clear and focused plan of action.
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
Here’s how to use this framework to set goals:
- Specific – Start by clearly defining what your goal is.
- Measurable – Think about how you can measure your progress towards your goal.
- Achievable – Consider how achievable your goal is. Could it be broken down into smaller, more manageable tasks?
- Relevant – Think about how your goal aligns with your overall career aspirations, as well as the demands of your current role.
- Time-bound – Set yourself a deadline to keep yourself motivated and on track.
Feedback from others
Reflect on the feedback, both positive and constructive, that you receive from your manager, peers and clients. This insight can help you identify areas for improvement, as well as the areas in which you’re excelling already. Consider how the feedback you receive today differs from that which you received earlier on in your career – regular feedback can remind you of just how much progress you’ve made, and the impact you’ve had on others.
Act on it: Are you receiving regular and constructive feedback from your manager and teammates? Don’t be afraid to ask for it! Keep things targeted by requesting feedback on a specific task, skill or the approach taken in a situation. Here’s some examples:
- I’m working on [specific skill] – how do you think I’m progressing? Is there anything more I could be doing to develop?
- Can you give me feedback on how I handled [specific scenario]? Is there anything I could have done differently?
Achievements, big and small
A lovely bit of feedback from a client or their family. That thank you text from your colleague struggling with their to-do list. Successfully navigating a tricky situation. Completing a course on FuturU. Saying no.
Considered in isolation, these achievements might seem small. But take a moment to think about each and every one of your everyday wins, and you’ll realise the positive impact all your hard work has, not just on you and your career, but on the lives of your colleagues and clients, too.
Act on it: Take a moment at the end of each day (or each week if that’s more realistic) to reflect on all your achievements, both big and small, and note them down. You could use a notebook to do this, or simply jot your achievements down in the Notes app on your phone.
Revisit your list whenever you need reminding of the progress you’re making towards your career goals. Having evidence of your achievements to hand can also come in super handy when you’re going for a promotion or applying for a new role.
