Regardless of how well you like and enjoy your current role in your organisation, you probably would ultimately want to move up at some point and take on greater responsibilities and earn opportunities for greater rewards. The following strategies will help you strengthen your abilities and grow your career in the nonprofit sector.

Know Your End Goal and What You Need to Succeed

Where do you see yourself in one, five and even ten years from now? What position would ultimately like to achieve? Before you set your goal, research the position that you believe that you would eventually want to have and determine what skills, experiences and achievements you would need to win this role.

Determine Your Strengths

Think about your skills, current duties, and areas of performance where you really excel. Are any of your current strengths a match for the requirements of the position you desire? What skills and abilities do you need to obtain, or strengthen, to get the desired post?

Experience Increases Skill

Think about the steps you should take to strengthen your abilities and make yourself a good candidate for the position. For most people, this typically means that they will need additional training. Are there certifications or licensures that you will need to obtain before you can hold your dream job?

It’s also a good idea to press for opportunities in your current organisation that will allow you to take on new challenges to gain experience. What are some interim positions that you could hold between your current position and the desired one where you could earn that experience and grow into your desired role? Keep in mind that it’s sometimes necessary to transfer to another department, or even another organisation, to have an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally by taking on new roles.

When you are focused on skill building, it’s also helpful to seek out peers or professionals outside of your organisation that can act as a sounding board for your ideas, provide you with unbiased feedback, coaching and guidance that will help you hone your skills and increase your leadership capabilities.

Consider Your Accomplishments

As you increase your knowledge and capabilities, you should periodically reflect on how far you have come in your current career. After all, when you apply for new opportunities and positions, you will undoubtedly be asked about your performance. Being able to clearly show how your contribution was the turning point makes it easier to convince others that you are the right person they can turn to and trust with increased roles and responsibilities.

Don’t just think about formal rewards and acknowledgements you have received in the past. Think about the past obstacles that you’ve faced and overcome. What have you gained as a result of your toughest challenges? How did you change your team’s performance? How have you made a difference on group and individual projects and what steps have you taken to meet and exceed expectations?

Build Up Your Organisation as Your Build Your Career

As you increase your skill and experience, continue to build upon your prior success. Look for opportunities to help others grow in their roles. Don’t forget to express your gratitude for any and all assistance you have received along the way. Building these bonds and strengthening your relationships with others will help each of you to grow and succeed together as you assume greater roles and make it easier to reach a higher level while strengthening your organisation as a whole!