7 Tips to Accelerate Your Career

Most people will let their career just happen to them.

But if you find that your career is running out of steam, you are going to need a game plan.

Ivy Exec recently spoke to Doug Holloway, President of Multichannel Distribution at Ion Media Networks, and he offered these tips to find career success:

1. Create a career map. Plan the companies you want to work for, the positions you want to hold, even the salary you want to earn. Set a timeline and milestones, and periodically check your progress.
2. Do favors for people all the time. People will say nice things about you, and you will have supporters along your path. You will also learn more about your company.
3. Volunteer for assignments no one else wants. You will get noticed, and if you do well, you will get plenty of accolades.
4. Accept that there will be obstacles, and power through them. Learn to adapt to changing circumstances.
5. Be patient and wait for the changes you need or the opportunities that are right.
6. Find good mentors along the way. Network and become friends with people at higher levels in the company and industry, and used them as a personal “board of directors.’
7. Get a sponsor. Although sponsors decide to support you, not the other way around, you can “position yourself to be worthy of sponsorship.”