Advance Your Career During National Career Development Month

Do you feel like the movie Groundhog Day was modeled after your life? Are you stuck in a career rut that you just can't seem to get out of?

November is National Career Development Month, which makes now the perfect time to examine your career and decide how you can further develop it. Get started by making a checklist of questions to help you evaluate where you're and where you're headed next:

Where are you right now?
What position do you currently hold at your company? Is it the one you started in, or have you advanced and been promoted since you were first hired? Take a look at your career overall as well—have you been able to move up the ladder with each new job you've started, or have you made a series of lateral moves within the same position?

Where do you want to be next?
Are you happy with where you are and the job you're doing? Do you know what you'd like to do next? Make a list of the specific promotion, position or project that you'd like to tackle. What is the next challenge you want to take on (and overcome)?

What do you need to do to get there?
If you haven't reached your dream position, what do you need to do to get there and why haven't you already? Is there training or additional skills you would need to make it yours?

Also consider if the position you want is open at your current company. If it's not, is that position available, or will it be in the near future? Is it time to change jobs and find an organization that can challenge you and help you meet your professional goals?

Who can mentor you and help you reach your goal?
Having a mentor can be crucial to career advancement. He or she can give you tips, insights, and contacts you need to move ahead. Ask yourself this: Is there someone within your organization who can help you reach your goals? If not, is there a leader in your industry at another company, or perhaps someone you know through another organization (alumni, community, etc) who can give you the guidance you need?

What other industry communities can you be involved with?
It's great to have goals and mentors, but being part of additional industry groups can help you advance your career even further. Is there a professional organization for your industry, and do they have a chapter for your area? If so, join it. It can be a great opportunity to network, learn more, and even find future jobs.

Are you online? If so, dial into the social media outlets for your industry. Read the blogs by your industry leaders, follow them on Twitter, participate in Twitter chats geared towards your industry, and find colleagues on LinkedIn.

How can you further your education?
What is your degree in, and did you earn your degree more than five years ago? Industries can change fast, so it might be time to re-train or update your knowledge of your field. Find out what the newest skills and technologies in your industry are, and if they would help you get that promotion. Then find a degree, certificate or diploma program that will help you learn them.