You’ve worked hard, gained recognition, and checked off major career goals—yet you know there’s another level calling your name. You’re ready to turn heads, raise the bar, and move into a role where your impact truly matches your potential. But what gets you there isn’t just more hard work; it’s strategic moves and new connections that set you apart.
This month, we’re breaking down four game-changing steps to help you Boost Your Career and step confidently into your next role. Think of it as your power playbook to sharpen your executive edge, attract supportive champions, and showcase your unique brand. Ready to kick-start the journey to your next level? Let’s make it happen!
Strategy 1: Elevate Your Personal Brand and Visibility
If you’re ready to step into your next role, whether it’s as a team leader or a C-suite executive, then it’s time to boost your personal brand. This isn’t just about listing skills on a resume—it’s about letting your unique superpowers, vision, and values shine. The best way to start? Find high-visibility projects or cross-functional initiatives where you can demonstrate your expertise and unique thinking skills. Seek out opportunities to present these achievements, whether it’s through leading team meetings, publishing insights on LinkedIn, kicking off a new initiative or volunteering to give a talk in your industry.
When I was at a crossroads in my own career, I realized that in order to level up, I needed to dive deep into my superpowers and passions to clarify my own personal brand. I started by asking myself: What do I truly love to do? I quickly identified that empowering and building other women up was one of my core passions. This insight led me to reach out to the development team in my organization, to explore ways I could contribute to leadership initiatives.
As it turned out, they were in the early stages of developing a leadership training program for the next generation of leaders—an area where my skill set was a perfect match. By expressing my interest and offering my expertise, I was invited to be part of the team that drove the program forward. This role gave me access to senior leaders across the company and allowed me to showcase my strengths in empowering others—both directly through the program and indirectly by mentoring future leaders. It was a clear demonstration of how aligning your passions with high-visibility opportunities can open doors to greater influence and advancement.
For actionable insights on building your personal brand, take a look at this Forbes article to build an unforgettable personal brand and enhancing your professional presence. It’s packed with tips on defining your personal differentiators and finding ways to get noticed by decision-makers in your organization.
Strategy 2: Identify and Connect with Supportive Champions
Moving up in your career is much easier when you have people actively rooting for you. Supportive champions—those who can advocate for you, open doors, and help amplify your achievements—play a critical role in advancing to senior positions. Look for someone a few steps ahead in their own career who might be willing to share insights or even introduce you to others who can be influential allies. Often, all it takes is reaching out with genuine interest in learning from their experience. Building these connections can start with small actions, such as an informal coffee chat or a LinkedIn message where you briefly share your goals and invite them to talk about their journey.
In my work as a coach, one of the key roles I play for my clients is helping them strategically connect with the right people who can propel their careers forward. We work together to identify potential mentors or sponsors, and I help them craft the right approach to engage those individuals. Building these relationships—whether they’re internal or external to your organization—can open up opportunities for growth, visibility, and invaluable guidance. If you feel you don’t have those connections yet, or if you’re not sure where to start, coaching can be a powerful tool to develop the confidence and strategies needed to make these connections happen.
Melinda Gates has been a powerful advocate for women’s empowerment, and she often speaks about how mentors and supporters helped her throughout her career. In The Moment of Lift, she emphasizes the importance of building networks that elevate you, noting that her success was partly due to the mentorship and sponsorship she received from key individuals along the way. She strongly believes that women, in particular, need these kinds of relationships to break through barriers and achieve leadership roles. Melinda is spot on when she says, “The most important thing is to be surrounded by a network of people who believe in you.”
Strategy 3: Become the Go-To Expert
One powerful way to position yourself as a go-to expert is by creating an authentic presence and embracing the idea of “power posing”—a concept from Amy Cuddy’s famous TED Talk on body language and self-confidence. In her talk, Cuddy explains that our body language doesn’t just affect how others perceive us, but also how we perceive ourselves. She introduces the idea of “power poses,” which are open, expansive body movements that can increase feelings of confidence and influence how others perceive our competence and leadership potential.
How does this relate to becoming an expert? When you step into your role with confidence and authority, you not only change how others see you, but you also send a powerful message to yourself that you are capable of the next level. This can be especially helpful when presenting your ideas to others or pitching new projects. Even if you’re still building your expertise in a particular area, exuding confidence through your body language can be just as important as your actual knowledge. Over time, these moments will accumulate, and you’ll find that you’re becoming the go-to expert in your field.
Practical Tip: Before a big presentation or important meeting, try a power pose for two minutes. Stand tall, chest out, hands on hips, or even raise your arms like a victory pose. Doing this has been shown to raise testosterone (confidence hormone) and lower cortisol (stress hormone), making you feel more powerful and ready to take on anything.
Strategy 4: Embrace Networking as an Opportunity for Growth
Many people dread networking events, thinking they need to “sell” themselves or find ways to “make connections” in a transactional way. But what if you reframed networking as a chance to engage with new people, learn from their experiences, and build authentic relationships? You can think of it as meeting friends you haven’t met yet—people with unique stories and insights that can broaden your perspective, help you grow, and even become allies or mentors down the road.
Research in social psychology supports this mindset shift. According to Harvard Business Review, a growth mindset around networking can lead to better outcomes because you’re more open and willing to connect, rather than focusing solely on what you can get from the interaction. Instead of seeing networking as an obligation, consider it a chance to ask curious questions and learn from others. Not only will this reduce the pressure to “perform” at networking events, but it will also create genuine connections that can open new doors. Networking is all about building relationships over time, and those relationships often start with a simple, inquisitive conversation.
Next time you’re at a networking event, challenge yourself to ask open-ended questions that encourage people to share their experiences and insights. This approach will allow you to connect on a deeper level, giving you the opportunity to learn from others and, in turn, build a network based on authentic connections rather than transactional ones. By focusing on genuine connection and curiosity, networking becomes less intimidating and much more rewarding, helping you build a network of allies who truly know and understand your value. Who knows, one of them may give you your next career opportunity!
Now that you have these four strategies in your power playbook, it’s time to take action! Your next big career move isn’t just about working harder; it’s about working smarter—by boosting your brand, building your network, stepping into your expertise, and embracing networking as a way to grow. Every strategic move you make today sets you up for even greater success tomorrow.
Remember, this isn’t a one-time to-do list—it’s a mindset. A mindset that aligns your passion with purpose, that cultivates authentic relationships, and that celebrates the unique brand only you can offer. Take the first step today, and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to the next level of your career. If you’re ready to dive deeper into these strategies and get personalized support, I’m here to help. Together, we can chart the course for your success.
Let’s make this next chapter your best one yet!
