Career Advice for Advancing Your Professional Growth

The best career advice I ever got was to stop climbing. It came from my CEO after I proudly shared my five-year plan. Every goal had “Associate ” or “Senior” attached. He paused and said, “What if your next move was sideways instead?” At first, I thought he was blocking my growth. Then I realized he was expanding it. We’re taught that up means success. Sideways means stagnation. But what if that’s backwards? The most successful Edge’rs I coach don’t just climb. They collect. They build width before height. Because mastery doesn’t come from motion. It comes from multiplication of skills, perspectives, and networks. Think about it: • The CMO who started in sales understands revenue. • The CEO who worked in ops knows execution. • The founder who did customer service gets loyalty. When they move up, they aren’t just promoted. They’re prepared. Try the L.A.T.™ Framework (Learn, Apply, Transfer) to expand your career: 1. Learn outside your lane. Shadow or stretch. 2. Apply it in your current role. 3. Transfer it forward through mentoring or strategy. That’s how you build a lattice, not a ladder. And that’s where your Edge™ begins, in the C.H.O.I.C.E.® to trade ego for evolution. 💭 What lateral move expanded your growth the most? ♻️ Share this with someone planning their next step. ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for human-centered career shifts.

What if career growth wasn’t just about luck, but about following proven strategies? These actionable steps helped immensely in my career growth. 1. Excel in Your Current Role (Most Critical): Consistently meet or exceed expectations. A proven track record builds the foundation for future opportunities. 2. Align with Organization Goals: Understand your organization’s top priorities and demonstrate how your work contributes directly to them. 3. Seek Feedback Actively: Ask for constructive insights and act on them. This commitment to growth truly makes a difference. 4. Develop New Skills: Invest in training and learning opportunities to stay current with industry trends and keep your skills sharp. 5. Network Internally: Build relationships across departments. Gaining visibility beyond your immediate team shows you’re a collaborative team player. 6. Volunteer for New Assignments: Step up to take on responsibilities beyond your current role. Initiative today can lead to larger opportunities tomorrow. 7. Express Your Career Aspirations: Have open conversations with your manager about your professional interests and goals. It’s not just about a promotion—it’s about sharing where you see your future and how you plan to contribute to the company’s success. 8. Mentoring: Seek mentors to accelerate your learning and also become a mentor to others to support their growth. 9. Maintain Integrity and Authenticity: Express your genuine views respectfully. Authenticity sets you apart and builds lasting trust. 10. Stay Resilient and Patient: Career growth takes time. Keep delivering excellence and demonstrating your value—the results will follow. What strategies have helped you achieve your career goals? I’d love to hear your story! #leadership #career #technology

My Best Advice to Young Professionals Often associates and friends starting out as young professionals come to me for career advice. I’ve realized that success and impact come from a balance of relentless curiosity and strategic execution. If you’re a young professional looking to grow, here’s the advice I wish someone had shared with me earlier: 1. Master Your Craft Be excellent at what you do. Deep expertise sets you apart and builds the credibility you need to make a real difference. 2. Think Long-Term, Act Today Have a vision for where you’re headed, but don’t wait. Take intentional steps every day to move closer to your goals. 3. Build Strong Relationships Your network is everything. Invest in authentic connections with mentors, peers, and decision-makers—they’ll shape your journey in ways you can’t imagine. 4. Be Exceptionally Reliable Reliability is underrated. Do what you say you will do—on time and with excellence. It’s a simple habit that builds trust and unlocks opportunities. 5. Adapt and Stay Curious The world evolves quickly. Stay open to learning, embrace new ideas, and avoid getting stuck in a fixed mindset. Curiosity keeps you ahead of the curve. 6. Develop a Unique Point of View Don’t just follow trends—create them. Cultivate your own insights and perspectives; originality is magnetic and earns respect. 7. Be Courageous Growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone. Take risks, speak up, and pursue ambitious goals—even when it feels intimidating. 8. Stay Resilient Setbacks are inevitable. What matters is how you respond. Learn, adjust, and keep moving forward with determination. 9. Deliver More Value Than Expected Whether it’s for your team, clients, or collaborators, consistently exceed expectations—it’s the fastest way to stand out and build trust. 10. Know Your ‘Why’ Purpose drives impact. The clearer you are about your “why,” the more meaningful—and sustainable—your success will be. To anyone just starting out: You have the power to create an extraordinary career by combining curiosity with action, passion with persistence, and vision with execution. The world needs your unique contributions—go make them happen! #Career #CareerAdvice #ProfessionalDevelopment #BigLaw

Growth and progression are relevant for professionals at EVERY stage of their careers — not just those who are starting out. Here are my biggest tips (and some lessons I learnt the hard way!) for seasoned professionals to advance their careers. ⬇⬇⬇ 👉 Know the business that you're in and speak the language of the business. How does your role contribute to the organisations objectives? Find out, and then talk to it regularly in the way you communicate about your inputs. 👉Working harder and longer hours and just hoping someone will notice is NOT the answer. Look up, and look around you. The people who get the opportunities are usually the people who built the relationships and then went and asked for those opportunities. 👉 Selling yourself and your potential is not an option, it is a necessity. The project you’ve just brought to life that is making your team 30% more efficient might be fabulous, but if no one knows about it because you are too worried about sounding “braggy”, then you’ll miss out on opportunities. 👉 In order to optimise your impact you must know your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing your strengths alone is also not enough though. You must know them, own them, be competent in leveraging them consistently for business outcomes, AND know the reverse point of impact. 👉You WILL get feedback that you don’t like throughout your career. Learn to get comfortable with it. Enhance your capacity to get it, give it and receive it well.  Your ability to engage in mature and meaningful feedback conversations, and then close the loop on feedback when received will be one of the single best skills you can learn to be seen as a high potential employee and leader. What else would you add? #LinkedInNewsAustralia #careerdevelopment #leadershipdevelopment #careeradvice Claire Seeber - Eating your Cake too

Nobody is coming to save your career. I watched a talented colleague wait three years for someone to notice her work. She delivered excellent results and assumed her manager would eventually advocate for her promotion. He never did. When she finally spoke up about wanting to advance, he seemed genuinely surprised. He had no idea she was interested in moving up. This happens more than you think. Your manager is juggling their own pressures. HR is focused on keeping the machine running. Executives are looking at bottom lines, not individual contributors. You're not being ignored on purpose. People just don't know what you want. If you're not speaking up about your accomplishments and your career aspirations, why would someone else? Being your own advocate means: 1/ Documenting your wins and sharing them regularly. ↳ Not once a year during review. Consistently. 2/ Asking directly for the opportunities you want. ↳ Hoping someone will offer it to you is not a strategy. 3/ Talking about your career goals out loud. ↳ If you want to move into leadership, say it. If you want to shift to a different department, make it known. 4/ Requesting feedback and actually using it to improve. ↳ This shows you're serious about growth. 5/ Building relationships across departments. ↳ Make sure people know who you are and what you're capable of. You can transform your career by simply starting to advocate for yourself. Better projects, more significant promotions, a seat at the table. Your career growth is your responsibility. Shout your goals and achievements from the rooftop! 🩵 _____ 🔔 Follow Dr. Heather Maietta - Coach for Career Coaches for celebratory career advice. ♻️ Share with a colleague to support self advocacy.

YOU OWN YOUR CAREER If we have worked together, you have heard me say this before, and it is my ethos of Employee Development and Growth. While companies should provide the tools, resources, and support, the most meaningful growth happens when individuals take the lead. Your development is not limited to a performance review cycle. It’s the ongoing choice to seek feedback, explore new challenges, reflect on experiences, and remain curious. Here are a few practical ways to take charge of your growth: - Ask for feedback consistently, not just during review periods - Schedule regular time to reflect on what you’re learning - Seek mentors both inside and outside your organization - Say yes to opportunities that stretch your capabilities - Pursue skills that align with your future goals, even if they fall outside your current role - Set clear development goals and track your progress No one is more invested in your career than you are. When you take initiative, you not only accelerate your growth but also build clarity and confidence in your path. One of the most important shifts I’ve seen in high-performing organizations is when employees take full ownership of their development. What is a step you’ve taken to own your development? #Careers #LearningAndDevelopment #GrowthMindset #Leadership #ProfessionalDevelopment

In the last 24 months, I have spoken with/listen to over 78 CEOs and global executives. Here are 5 career growth lessons they shared that you can apply too: 1. Embrace Lifelong Learning. Staying relevant requires constant learning. Continuous education is key to staying ahead and adapting to industry changes. 2. Cultivate a Strong Network: Relationships are as important as skills. Building meaningful connections across industries opens doors, provides fresh perspectives, and supports your career growth. 3. Develop Leadership Skills: Leadership starts long before you hold a formal title. Take initiative, volunteer for team projects, and show your ability to inspire others—this positions you as a future leader. 4. Be Open to Feedback: Constructive criticism fuels growth. Embrace feedback, refine your approach, and improve both your technical skills and interpersonal abilities. 5. Take Calculated Risks: Many top leaders credit their career breakthroughs to bold, thoughtful risks—whether it's switching industries, taking on challenging projects, or making a career pivot. Innovation comes from stepping outside your comfort zone. Which of these tips resonates with you the most? Let me know 💃💃

I wanted to share two of the best bits of career advice I've ever received… First, from Meredith. Years ago, we were at an airport together, flying home after an industry event.  I asked how she got pulled in to support it.  She told me, "You have to elbow your way in."  If there's something you want to be part of - an event, a project, an opportunity - don't wait to be invited.  Be proactive and put yourself forward.  Earlier in my career, I believed that just doing good work would naturally lead to opportunities.  But that's not always the case.  Now, whenever there's something I want to be involved in, I remember Meredith's advice and make sure I elbow my way in. Second, from Andrew.  He and I are frequent presenters at customer briefings.  He once shared that he'll accept a briefing even if he's not 100% familiar with the topic.  Why?  Because it forces him to learn, stretch, and grow.  The more he does it, the broader and deeper his expertise becomes.  I've taken this to heart too.  By stepping up for opportunities outside my comfort zone or primary area of focus, I've grown and learned more than I ever could have by staying in my lane. So, my advice to anyone looking for career growth: Don't wait to be asked. Elbow your way in. And don't shy away from the unknown. 💪 #Careers #GrowthMindset #CareerAdvice #PersonalDevelopment

🚀 Career Acceleration Insights By age 35, I had climbed the corporate ladder and doubled my salary in less than 5 years. The journey was filled with invaluable lessons, but there's one piece of advice that outshines the rest, crucial for anyone looking to advance their career, especially in the dynamic field of technology and marketing. ✅ Here's the golden nugget of advice: Identify and Focus on Key Business Metrics: The secret lies in pinpointing the metric that is most valuable to the business. Once identified, channel your efforts to move this metric significantly. This approach transcends beyond mere numbers; it's about aligning your contributions with the company's core objectives. ✅ What to Avoid: - Don't let workplace politics distract you. - The size of your team or the scope of your responsibilities should not be your primary concern. - Steer clear from getting entangled in unnecessary workplace drama. ✅ What to Embrace: Be relentless in your focus on the crucial business metric, whether it's related to revenue, growth, or any other key area. 💡Demonstrate how your work directly contributes to moving this metric forward. Make it the centerpiece of your discussions and reports. This strategy is particularly potent for those early in their careers or operating within growth-oriented roles. It's not just about working hard but working smart—targeting your efforts where they'll make the most tangible impact. Leverage this approach, and watch as doors open and opportunities unfold in ways you might never have imagined. #CareerAdvice #BusinessGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #TechIndustry #thejessemercado

I speak at conferences, webinars, and events quite frequently to share advice on professional advancement. Often, I gear my advice towards people who are already well into their careers. I want to share some advice for those who are just getting started. Over the weekend, I was speaking with my nephews and here are a few pieces of advice they said were most useful to them as they launched their careers: 1.     “Networking is the foundation of a successful career. It may seem intimidating at first but it’s really just connecting with people who have similar interests or careers.” Starting to build your network as early as possible will benefit you exponentially as you move forward in your career. Strive to build a community amongst your peers – over the years these connections will be mutually beneficial. I’ve shared networking tips here before, take a look though my feed for advice on building your network. 2.     “Speak up during team meetings if you have a thought or opinion. Everyone knows you're younger, but senior leadership usually appreciates input because it shows confidence, and that you care about the business.” Be an engaged member of your team. By taking an active role as you’re getting started, you’ll learn faster and see much more positive results. Be bold! 3.     “The only way to make a professional achievement standout is by quantifying it with hard numbers.” This is essential! Keeping track of data points that exemplify your performance and achievements will be endlessly helpful. This information should go in your resume to demonstrate your skill and effectiveness. Additionally, these details will help your managers see the areas where you shine. If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice when you were starting out, what would it be?