Depends on your job, really. But it all boils down to this:
Step 1. Talk to people above you about what is required to move up and out of your position.
Step 2. Accomplish those things.
Step 3. Tell those people you have accomplished those things.
Step 4. Enjoy your promotion, and go back to Step 1 for the next rung up.
1. Be Proactive
Assume 100% responsibility.
You don't have all the control, and you probably never will, but simplify the idea and take 100% ownership.
Your relationship with your boss isn't working. Ask yourself what you could do to improve it?
Despite all your efforts, the situation is not improving? What can I do to change the situation? Confront him in a discussion to clear things up, look for another job, talk to his boss...
Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. ― Viktor E. Frankl
2. Learn
Learn is your best tool to grow. Develop your ability to learn.
Not just the programs offered by the company. But anything that attracts your curiosity and can help both you and your team.
Reading is a growth booster. And it has helped me tremendously in the professional world.
Mr. Covey's 7 Habits supported me as a salesman and still guides me today as an executive.
3. Develop your productivity
Because everything is moving so fast, your organization becomes crucial.
When we talk about productivity, we often think of applications, techniques, but they are only part of the equation and not the most important.
The 4 essential productivity keys in business
a. Start with the big picture and keep it in mind.
What do you want to do professionally? If everything was possible, what would you do?I still have a mind map I made over 20 years ago. It described my professional options. And at the time, it looked crazy.
Guess what?
I met and exceeded all my expectations. Maybe I should have thought bigger 😀.
What you do today has nothing to do with what you can become tomorrow.
b. Learn to sleep well
Professional life is exhausting. To be lucid, to make the right choices, you need to be rested and full of energy. Sleep is your best ally. I wish I had understood this earlier.c. Learn to recover in a hostile environment
"As soon as I close this project, I'll slow down."There's no such thing.
The business doesn't slow down. It's getting faster and more complex. You must learn to recover in this environment.
The key is to block out time in your schedule only for you and non-negotiable.
Time to think or deal with a file alone, play sports at lunchtime, time in the morning to make music, write, walk....
It’s in these moments that you will recover.
d. The one thing that makes or kills your day
Deciding what you will and won't do is your most important decision.
Learning to follow through (perseverance) and bring your project to the finish line is crucial.
We tend to start a lot and follow few...
4. Welcome your doubts
Complexity creates doubts. Will I be up to the task?
Doubt creates fear.
Fear paralyzes you.
Replace that with :
Cut the complexity into small pieces.
And take action.
Collect feedback on your first actions and adjust, modify until you find the direction.
Next time doubts knock on your door. Welcome them. It's not a wrong signal; it's a chance to grow.
5. The habit of extending your comfort zone
A complicated case, a risky promotion, if that's what you want to do. Go for it.
Expose yourself to risk more often.
Practice in everyday life. You're afraid to jump from 3 meters at the pool, try it. It's a controlled risk (pool with lifeguard 😀 ) in a secured environment.
6. Develop a hobby/side hustle
The business is moving fast. What was true yesterday won’t be tomorrow.
A merger, an acquisition, a bankruptcy, a drop in result, no matter how good your work is, your situation can change at any time.
Or simply a desire on your part to do something else, to give another meaning to your life.
Don't define yourself only by your position. Find and develop passions besides your main activity. When you find something you like, invest some time.
It allows you to distance yourself from your primary job.
And maybe one day, you'll decide to take the plunge and launch your new idea.
Many successful businesses started with a passion. :)
Life in the company is challenging, full of complexity, and at the same time exciting. If you have the desire and the energy, you can develop your career, learn a lot and earn a good living.
Enjoy the road.
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A few things.
One, networking. Even the crappiest workers get ahead because they know someone who might have a position for you. Nepotism is alive and strong.
Two, fuck loyalty. A long time ago, loyalty was commonplace with today's older co-worker as they got appropriate pay raises and job titles as they stay longer with one company. With recent economic and corporate news, loyalty means jack shit now. Staying at a job usually means limited pay, staying in one position because older workers don't want to retire, or limited career growth. From my experience, it is more beneficial to job hop from one position to the next as it usually gives you a bump in pay and title. Mind you, it works well in certain job fields (e.g. programmer) and doesn't work well in others. If you do job hop, I really suggest staying for a minimum of two years before attempting to do this (unless it's contract work).
Three, look at benefits such as PTO, 401k matching, and insurance as well as salary. Having a big salary means very little if the other perks are minimized. When you are looking for a new job, always keep these in the back of your mind. If and when you get an offer, remember that some benefits can be negotiated in lieu of pay (e.g. PTO).
Four, always learn and build your skill set. Even if you land a job that you like, that feeling can go away (more often than not it does). So in the mean time, learn new skills, certifications, and build up your marketability. You never know when a skill will come in handy or how valuable it is especially when you were suddenly laid off. Related to my last point, check to see if obtaining new skills is part of the benefits. Some employers will pay for some or all educational benefits if its aligned with your job duties. If they pay for it, I don't see why this would be a problem except it will take up a good chunk of your personal time.
Five, rarely burn bridges. Keep everything professional especially when your employer had done you wrong. Rarely should you burn a bridge unless they grossly violated something (case-by-case basis). It's best to leave on good terms even if you didn't agree or didn't get along with people you thought were assholes. It's tempting to say "Fuck it!" but sometimes it can bite you in the ass especially if it is a niche field.
Six, embrace your inner mercenary. The only person that 100% cares about your career is you. You are a product and you must learn how to sell yourself, gain the most, and learn how to adapt if things don't go your way. I can't stress this enough. As much as I want people to treat others like people, most of the time you will be treated like a number especially in larger corporations. Back to my other point, loyalty is almost a guarantee that you won't advance career-wise. If you do find an employer who is willing to bend over backwards for you, hold on to them tight. They are a rare find in this day and age.
Seven, know your work/life tolerance. Some people love to work hours on end while others like to focus on their personal time more. You have to determine where your limit is. Some jobs have standards for their employees such as 50-60 hr workweeks while others have 40 hours. You have to find the right balance of pay/benefits with how much of your time you are willing to give up. This is doubly important when you have a significant other and children involved. Sometimes a relatively low paying job with high work/life balance is much more important than a high paying job that gives you barely any time for sleep. As I gotten older, I found this to be more true.
Always present evidence as to why you deserve a raise first. Don't start with "I want a raise". Start with what has changed (eg, completing college or getting a certificate). Next explain how this change benefits them (This is the most important!). Finally, ask for a raise. You should have 2 amounts in mind when you ask for a raise too. 1. The amount you would like (say 30% more) and 2. The lowest amount of a raise you will accept without quitting (if that is your ultimatum).
The really important part is stressing the beneficial impact that you currently have on the company and how the company can benefit more from your new skills. It's best to wait till you have proof that you have implemented those skills too. More proof is always better.
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Manager checking in. There are two main things that make me fight for people when it's raise time (or when hiring), leadership and dependability.
Leadership, like athletics comes more naturally to some people. Similarly, practice and training can make a big difference. A good leader makes everyone around them better. I recently put a good leader in charge of a team. The team's productivity and morale is way up.
Delivering as promised is a big deal. If something is impossible, tell me up front. If you thought it was possible, but find out it's not, tell me as soon as you find out. Don't bring me problems, bring me choices, even if they are bad ones. Don't let other people surprise me with something you know. Basically, have my back and I'll have yours.
Notice I didn't say technical prowess or industry knowledge (they help, but moderate knowledge is more than enough for most jobs). Seriously, I want people I can trust and that have a positive impact on those around me.
When it's promotion time I also add growth. The people that are always learning new things, taking classes, reading etc. Now that I think it about, there really are three things.
Also, I can usually tell within 5 minutes of a behavioral interview if this person is worth my time. And yes I took training to help that and still train to keep my interviewing skills sharp.
FYI, I had average to below average salaries most of my career, but for a variety of reasons never changed jobs. I've job hopped 4-5 times in the last 7 years. Always getting more money, never burning bridges. Twice I worked with or for people I worked with before. Both those times the job was mine to lose before I interviewed. My current job which is almost twice what I made 7 years ago I was recruited to work for a manager I worked for before. He hired me because he could trust me implicitly. I didn't know how to do 50% of the job when I was hired. The first 4 months was rough, but I never disappointed my boss, except maybe when he was promoted and I declined to interview for his old job.
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