Do you want a higher pay? More responsibility? Greater authority? Or perhaps all of the above?
Whatever your choice is, please remember that working long and hard is not enough for you to move up the corporate ladder. I’ve listed here seven smart ways to help you advance your career and get promoted to the position you’re dreaming of. Try them. Start creating a plan and stick to it until you get to the top.
1. Wow your boss and win your colleagues.
If your boss asks for suggestions, provide solutions; if he asks for 5 ideas, give him 10. And turn them in earlier than he is expecting.
Make significant impact on your colleagues by achieving excellent job performance and taking pride in it. Act as a role model for your peers and make yourself a go-to person for various work-related matters. Be kind and sincere in your relationships. Lend your ears, hands, shoulders, or in extreme cases, even your wallet during emergencies.
Rise above the challenges in your work, initiate change, help your company reduce cost and increase profits.
2. Keep learning.
To advance in your career, develop a yearning for knowledge. Sign up for any training and development programs relevant to your career goals. Find online courses, take master’s degree, attend seminars and conferences, read books, and surf the internet for valuable information about the world of work. All these will help you develop new skills and knowledge, and increase your self-confidence that will set you apart from the rest of your team and generation, as well.
3. Keep track of your professional accomplishments.
Keep track of your courses, licenses, certificates, significant projects, milestones, thank you notes, congratulatory letters, dates, names, contacts, etc. Record and file all of your achievements, especially those that align with your company priorities. It will be much easier for you and your manager to accomplish performance appraisals and request for salary increases when you have a clear and complete record of your accomplishments. This will be your arsenal to bullet proof your promotion.
4. Build your network.
The saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is true. You need to build your network that you can reach out to, and vice versa, to support and help you in your desire to grow and sustain your career. Seek good mentors and consultants. Attend industry events and network online via social media sites like LinkedIn. Interact with different companies in your line of work. Some surprises could happen along the way.
5. Seek out for leadership opportunity.
Don’t wait for your bosses to promote you. Make them aware that you want it. Seek out for opportunities that will prepare you for a leadership role. Lead a project, chair a committee, or be in-charge of some important company events. This will give you the exposure and visibility you need. Be sure you’re doing an excellent job to show that you can be relied on by your boss and peers.
6. Dress for success.
Do you believe in the saying, “Dress for the job you want, not the one you’ve got”? It may seem flimsy, but your clothing, like the way you carry yourself, makes a statement about who you are and who you aspire to be. See how the top executives are dressed. How you look is one way you can make an impression without saying a word. Dressing well also reinforces your professional competence.
7. Maintain a Positive Attitude.
Stay calm under stressful situations. Based on experience, the people who typically get promoted are those who can work under pressure. When a problem arises, they try to solve it, utilizing their innate capability and experience. When in doubt, they seek help from experts who, in turn, boost their self-confidence. Adopt a positive attitude, it’s very likely that you will get positive results.
I hope and pray that these tips will help you climb the ladder of success. Who knows, you might even be my next boss.