Imagine today is the last day at your current job. You checked out the link at USAJobs and realized the offer letter is real and you have received your promotion job offer letter. It is a great feeling to know that after countless hours of resume writing, editing, and interview practicing that you can reap the rewards of your deft career efforts.
Then you leave to start your new job with the intention that all you have to do is accomplish your requirements as an indicator of your talents. A wise mentor once told me that “an employee is only as good as their last great task.” So how does a newly promoted fed prepare for longevity in federal service? Leverage the career building tips below to prime and prep your efforts for continued career advancement.
Top 9 Tips to Prime and Prep your Promotion
- Find a mentor in your chosen field and work them regularly
- Identify your career goals for your promotion and 2 years from now
- Talk to your manager about how you can contribute to the organization’s mission by leading assignments outside the scope of your work
- Learn business operations best practices and determine how to apply them to meet your organizations’ needs
- Exceed expectations by working on projects that will allow you to follow as well as lead diverse teams
- Genuinely learn how to manage the office politics in your organization
- Be kind to everyone, you never know who you are talking to in the hall, the elevator or the lab
- Learn from industry leaders in your field of expertise and consider emulating some of their risk taking skills
- Volunteer to do work outside of your scope so you can learn new skills that are readily transferable
Nice post! It is so important to prepare in advance if you want to move up!
Brenda, thank you for the feedback. You are also correct that promotions require planning after you start the new job.