How Women Can Punch Up Their Careers And Go For That Promotion

Often many women feel unfulfilled with their careers, either because they feel they can’t advance or because they are stuck in a rut. For some, it’s difficult to move ahead because many employers are reluctant to put family-oriented individuals in a highly demanding position, and many women decide to take time off at some point to have a baby, get married, or stay home with their children. For others, the ability to move ahead becomes hampered by the feeling of boredom that comes with not being challenged.

Fortunately, there are several ways you can break through those issues and shake up your career. So many women feel uninspired after a while, or they get to a comfortable place and stick with it out of the fear of the unknown. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Try these methods and get creative; you might just surprise yourself.

Become an entrepreneur

If you’ve just left a job–or are thinking about it–starting your own business might seem like the scariest thing in the world. It’s understandable to want stability, but you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t take a few risks. To minimize your stress, start small; freelance your services to see what the market is like. If you’re a writer, accountant, HR rep, or artist, there are plenty of ways you can make money online. Do some research to see what the demand is like for your services.

Start a blog

It might seem kind of tricky at first, since nowadays it seems like everyone and their mother has their own blog; how will you get yours noticed? If you have a talent for writing you can punch up your web page with photos, graphics, and even ads to monetize your pieces. Write what you know and promote it on social media, and use your blog as a reference to get your writing noticed by magazines and companies looking for contributors.

Go back to school

If you’ve always wanted to learn a new language or take a class on coding, go for it! Having a new skill to put on your resume will give your self-confidence a boost and will allow you to move onto different paths when you’re ready to pursue something new.

Challenge yourself

That feeling of being stuck in a rut is never fun, but it happens to the best of us. If your career is feeling a little stale, shake it up by challenging yourself. Get creative; ask your boss for a new responsibility, or tackle a big project head-on and put in extra hours to get it done. Showing the people in charge that you’re willing to go the extra mile can only help get you noticed when it’s time for a raise or promotion.

Get assertive

Many women don’t feel confident enough to ask for a raise or talk about their ideas in a group setting because they’re afraid of coming across as demanding. Don’t let that stop you from getting what you want! Push those worries about what others think of you to the side and pursue your goals. No one else is going to do it for you.

About the Author: Gloria Martinez runs WomenLed.org, which celebrates women’s achievements in the workplace and beyond. She believes that while women have made many advancements toward “shattering the glass ceiling,” there is still much to be done. It is her aim to help increase the number of women-led businesses by educating others about the topic.  She is a recurring guest contributor to Women of HR.