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2. Aim to work for a company which can give you room to progress. Ideally you should be considering three dimensions:
- Firstly, a company where there is scope to progress onto more senior levels and with an environment in which you can develop. Large corporations often offer plenty of promotion possibilities, though small companies undergoing high growth can also be a good bet.
- Secondly, consider the growth cycles of both the prospective employer and the industry in which it fits. A company on an upward spiral as well as fast growing industries can be expected to offer room for career advancement. Conversely, a mature company or an industry in decline could represent a dead end – beware of wearing a 'dead man's shoes'!
- Thirdly, most companies have a 'chemistry' determined by its values and culture. You need to put yourself in the right environment. Some companies value generic skills and 'street smarts' and, if you have the intellect and attitude, progression could be straightforward. On the other hand some companies' values are determined by their core business operations, and these might value people only with unambiguous expertise in that line of business. Yet again some companies place more importance on qualifications like degrees and MBAs. If you are well-qualified these are environments in which you might excel. Conversely, if you are not your prospects could be limited.
- Consider how you could advance internally and externally. Don’t limit your expectations to the job on the next level in your department. If you work for a large company with many businesses or departments, consider other areas. However, if the route is not available internally be careful not to job hop from one employer to another. Frequent moves are often frowned upon: it really doesn’t look good if you have more than two employers on your cv in the last four years, or more than three in the last five – so be careful!
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