The stairway to success
Some people are not interested in getting promotion if it means taking on extra duties and maybe working longer hours. Fair enough. But if you are ambitious, you have to be constantly on the lookout for opportunities and you need to convince your employer that you are capable of handling added responsibility.
Do you have what it takes?
Making sure of promotion these days means developing a whole range of different skills and behaviours:
Committing fully to your job: success goes to people who are enthusiastic about their work – there's no room at the top for those who give only a half-hearted effort.
Working smart, not hard: smart employees make sure they are working as efficiently as possible to provide top quality services and value for money.
Going the extra mile: look for projects you think you can do well, record your achievements and, if the results look good, make sure your boss knows about it.
Managing your time effectively: don't wait for someone else to spell out your priorities. Find out what your key objectives are and make sure you spend most of your time working towards them.
Developing your skills: lifelong learning is the only way to keep your skills up to date and to be sure of success. Ask for learning opportunities and then milk them dry.
Enhancing your visibility: if you want to get ahead in an organisation, dress as if you already work at the level you hope to reach next. Copy the clothing styles of the people who are successful at that level.
If you can tick off most of the above, you are definitely on the way to moving up a notch in the organisational hierarchy. But, if you haven't got things quite right yet, you may be losing out to others who have a more active approach to managing their careers. It could be time to review your strategy and make some changes. Try to get some constructive feedback from your boss and plan how you will develop your skills and improve your performance.
Tell your boss you are interested in promotion and that you are willing to take on more responsibility to prove your worth to the organisation. Make a difference. In the end you won't have to shout your worth from the rooftops – everyone will be aware of it already.
