The following is a post by MPFJ staff writer, Derek Sall. Derek is the owner of the blog, LifeAndMyFinances.com, where he teaches people how to get out of debt, save money, and become wealthy.
Have you just started working in Corporate America and are wondering how to get ahead? Or, perhaps you have been stuck in the same job for a number of years and are interested in climbing the next rung of the ladder? Wherever you currently are in your corporate walk, I assume that you would like to get to the next level. Take this advice and you will not only get to the next rung of the corporate ladder, but will be on a sprint to the top.
1) Dress to Impress
This step is incredibly basic, but if you dress like your boss’s boss instead of like a fry cook, people will notice and they will be more prone to respect you and your opinions at work. If your boss wears a tie, then you should wear a tie. If your boss wears a suit jacket, then you might want to follow suit as well (pun intended). Not only will your coworkers respect you, but you begin to respect yourself a little bit more as well.
2) Speak with Confidence
Nobody promotes a mousy employee. If you cannot speak up in meetings or give your differing opinion to your boss, then you will simply not reach the next rung of that ladder. Confident speakers may not always be right, but everyone is aware that they are in the room. And, in order to get promoted, people first need to know that you exist, and then they need to know that you have the confidence to lead others.
3) Take any Leadership Experience You Can Get
When you first start working in Corporate America, it is incredibly rare that you will be gifted a manager’s job. Chances are, you will start at the bottom of the ladder and then will need to prove yourself worthy before moving the next level up.
In order to make a move into a manager position, you likely need to have some sort of leadership experience under your belt. This could be accomplished by volunteering as a Board of Director for a local non-profit. You might also get some leadership experience by taking on projects at work and leading a team of coworkers. If you succeed enough as a leader in these roles, your bosses will begin to notice and will feel comfortable in giving you that promotion.
4) Continue to Educate Yourself
If you want to move up at work, never stop educating yourself. If your employers value a bachelor’s degree, then earn one. If they think an MBA is important, head back to school and earn this degree as well. Also, without their coaxing, continually learn about areas that interest you. If you work in accounting, but are interested in credit instead, ask those that are working in credit if you can help them with some of their work. Do this for enough areas in your work and you will suddenly be the knowledge source for many leaders within the company. If they know that you have the knowledge, they will not even hesitate to promote you when the time comes.
5) Apply to Open Positions When Appropriate
If you have a good handle on your current job and feel that you can take on a more challenging role, don’t be afraid to look at the open jobs that are available in your company. If you have truly been working hard and have been getting the attention of the leadership team of the company, then you will almost be expected to apply for the job. Even if you do not get awarded the position, this action still lets them know that you are interested in advancing within the company. The next time another job opens up, you might not even need to interview for it. They’ll just give it to you since they know you have earned it and are interested in advancement.
If you take action on these five items, you will almost certainly find yourself advancing up that corporate ladder.
How about you all? Have you climbed the corporate ladder? What did you do to succeed?
Share your experiences by commenting below!
***Photo courtesy of https://www.flickr.com/photos/chefranden/155267057/in/
