Many think they complete their job search when they start their job. The wise use those very same self-promotional skills first developed while job searching throughout their careers. Here are five great ways to reach rapid promotion and fulfillment in a professional job:-

1. Follow your passion

Don't be concerned, especially during your job search, if you do not have a formal career plan. Although most of us imagine that successful people are driven by a career plan, recent interviews with top achievers have shown that this is not mostly the case. What these job search high achievers have in common though is that they are driven by a challenge, or learning, or both.
Another common factor for success is to be true to yourself, and this is where the flexibility to change roles within an organisation is so important. You may need to move around to find that niche in which your personal goals become aligned with company goals. When this becomes a reality, then those around you will also feed off your positive motives which will show through, and the subconscious affect will be very positive.

2. Be pro-active

Seize opportunities and actively seek them out. There is an increase in the flexibility that organisations are allowing to their staff to develop their careers. The other, and slightly negative side to this, is that nowadays you are far less likely to be looked after than in previous years. It is also a fact that the days of being offered promotion as and when your experience and length of service would place you next in turn, are far less likely than they once were.

3. Grasp opportunities

It hardly needs saying that you will actually need to grasp opportunities, but if your personal goals are aligned with those of the organisation, you will want to take on the challenges that promotion will offer you. Carry on your job search skills after you are in work. Don't be cynical about volunteering. Do raise your head above the parapet and make your willingness to accept progression clear to your line managers, and the right decision makers.

4. Engage in politics

I am going to call politics the ability of high flying employees to (without necessarily realising fully what they are doing, or to themselves call it 'politics'), recognise those in the organisation who yield the power and influence to further their careers. This is best done through contact made during the projects you work on, and obviously includes developing good relationships through your contacts made through normal duties with higher levels of management. This is positive politics. Do not view it, and do not use it as knife-in the back politics, which it should never be.

5. Be visible

You will not be offered opportunities unless you are visible. Many call it being in the right place at the right time. Some choose deliberately to work at head office. Others rise through regional and branch offices, but these very successful people can be seen as lifelong 'job searchers' making sure they remain visible by their use of politics. Many others, by sheer skill and effort produce remarkable results, which in themselves create the visibility they need.