Building A Path For Career Visibility And Advancement

1. Career Advancement

During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Jessica asked Lung his thoughts on staying with one company vs. hopping around and what that looked like for career advancement.  Lung has been with Citi for over 30 years. Lung said that each person is different and every situation is different. 

But the most important question he would ask someone is, are they having fun at their job? 

The reason he feels this is so important is if you are having fun, you will do well at your job.  Your passion for projects, your company, and your colleagues will shine through. 

He also said that it is important for you to think about what you want to achieve in your career.  Think about where you want to be. Does your company support those goals?

You also have to decide how risk-averse you are.  This means are you open to changing companies or careers even if that means that there is a certain level of risk.  You may have to take a salary decrease or make a lateral move. 

Lung emphasized that even if you aren’t happy in your current situation and are hoping to either advance within the company or move companies, you must focus on your performance and delivery. You cannot slack off. 

Even if you don’t like where you are, you still need to do well. It’s just the truth.

Underperforming, even at a job where you’re not a fan of your boss or the company, will only hurt you in the long run. 

That means, if you are serious about advancing your career, it is important you do the best job you can possibly do.  Not only will this help you be seen as a leader within your organization, but it will help you move within or out of the company when the time is right.

2. Communication

Communication is absolutely key to career advancement and visibility.  The way you speak to your superiors, the way you write an email, and the way you communicate issues are so important.  

If you feel like your communication skills are holding you back from that next big opportunity, consider joining our premier Soulcast Media Membership. Our membership. This membership program is designed to continually help you improve your communication skills and work directly with our Founder, Jessica Chen.

Now communicating changes depending on the people and situation. For example:

Communication With Superiors – When you are communicating with superiors or communicating upwards,  you want to keep it simple. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Succinct and to the point.  Especially when you are communicating with those in a senior position, it is important to leave out details that are unnecessary. Many people in senior roles do not have a lot of time.  You perhaps don’t have a lot of time in your role as well!  So the more direct and succinct you can be, the better.

Communicating The Problem – During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Lung said that one of the most difficult things he has found with employees is their inability to distill what the actual problem is.  He found that many employees tell the entire story, but as a senior leader, he is truly interested in getting down to the actual problem.  Not all of the issues surrounding it.  Identify what the problem is.  Break it down into bite-sized pieces so that your colleagues, stakeholders, etc., can understand it right away. 

Writing Vs. Speaking – How you speak vs. how you write are two different things. During the Soulcast Media | LIVE, Lung touched on the differences between writing how you speak and write.  He said oftentimes if you write as you speak, what you are trying to communicate gets lost because we usually speak more words than we write.  He said you lose the essence of your point.  Be sure to avoid being too wordy in your communications.  Don’t let your point get lost.

💡We recommend the e-course “Tips For Writing Business Emails” to help you strengthen your email skills and shape a positive online reputation.

3. Accountability

Visibility and career advancement are up to you.  As much as you may feel like there are circumstances beyond your control, at the end of the day, you have to hold yourself accountable for your own actions.

When thinking about your career, think about what you bring to work each day.  These are the things you can control. 

• High Energy – What is your energy like at work?  Can your superiors and co-workers see that you are excited to be there? High energy is important. This doesn’t mean that you have to fake excitement.  But if you can’t even muster enthusiasm, it will come across that you simply don’t care. 
• Can-Do Attitude – What is your attitude like?  Are you willing to try new things?  If you are given a new project do you state all of the reasons why it won’t work or why you don’t want to try to do it?  Or are you a problem-solver? Which attitude do you think your superior is looking for?
• Passionate – Are you excited about your career?  Hopefully, your passion shines through!  And even if this isn’t the exact perfect job for you, your passion to do well is something you can control.  So do your job to the best of your abilities.
• Informal mentor – Do you have a mentor?  It is important to have someone that can help guide you through your career.  This person doesn’t have to be who the company sets you up with.  Many companies have mentorship programs.  However, as Lung said during the Soulcast Media | LIVE, finding a person that you mesh well with is more important.  Get yourself a mentor that can help you navigate your career.
• Advocate – An advocate is similar to a mentor, but more of an ally. An advocate is someone who will pick up the phone and help you get an interview or a lunch meeting.