3 Ways to Make Yourself a Better Candidate for Career Advancement Opportunities

For many young professionals, starting a career off in an entry-level position is the necessary first step to building a lasting, successful career for oneself. Such individuals are typically on the lookout for advancement opportunities that can be taken advantage of in order to get along in their careers and continue to build and grow.

Unfortunately, though, such opportunities don’t come along every day. Rather, they tend to be few and far between. Furthermore, there are always going to be at least a handful (if not more) of equally talented, driven professionals vying for the same advancement opportunities.

If you have your sights set on furthering your career, it is crucial that you are ready to set yourself apart from the competition and show yourself to be the most desirable candidate for advancement opportunities. Moreover, don’t wait until such opportunities arise to start preparing yourself. Instead, put in the effort now so that you are already prepped to be the most qualified candidate of the bunch when applying for advancement opportunities.

With that in mind, here are three things that you should do that will help you to do just that so you can achieve all of your professional goals.

1. Earn an Advanced Degree

There are few ways to set yourself apart from the competition that are quite as effective as obtaining a higher form of education. Earning an advanced degree will prove to prospective employers and hiring managers that you have the skills and knowledge that you need in order to succeed in an advanced role.

Take care to choose your degree wisely. Depending on your field, it might be more advantageous to go for something specific such as an online applied economics degree as opposed to a more general concentration of study.

With the right degree in hand, you will be more likely to set yourself apart in a positive way when apply for career advancement opportunities.

2. Showcase Your Skills

Aside from your educational background, hiring managers will most likely turn to the “skills and certifications” section of your resume when trying to figure out if your application is worth their consideration. It is to this section that you should focus your attention on as well.

Even if you don’t yet have official qualifications or certifications for particular skills that you know will be impressive to a hiring manager, you should take the time to identify which ones would be most useful and earn them. You can easily find online workshops and courses that can help you get the qualifications that you need to earn career advancement opportunities.

3. Volunteer

Another great way to help your resume stand out from the crowd is to volunteer. Hiring managers like to see when a candidate is willing to use their free time to help others in need. This will help to demonstrate your character and give them an idea about what sort of causes are important to you on a personal level. It also helps to give an idea of your personality and whether you will fit in well with the rest of the team.