Recently, I had the opportunity to have dinner with someone I’d consider a mentor. She’s a successful exec that I was lucky enough to meet as a nervous undergraduate by striking up a conversation after a presentation. Everyone else shirked away to the corners in terror while I put on my game face and went for it. The convo ended up landing me my first full-time job, and though I no longer work for the company (neither does she) I make sure to stay in touch.
Anyway, over this particular rendezvous, we fell into a conversation about career advancement – namely, how the F do you go about dragging yourself up from the bottom rung? Having climbed from a sales role to the position of president with our former employer, my friend has plenty of experience in this area, and her advice matched to the tee what I’ve repeatedly heard form those far older and wiser than myself: Go for it!
While the traditional method for advancement is to work hard and wait patiently, there’s plenty of opportunity out there for bright young professionals to make a difference in their organizations from the get-go, which can lead to a quick boost out of the entry-level.
Drawing from my own experiences as well as those of numerous friends and acquaintances, I can truthfully say that you’ll have far better results if you create your own opportunities. All it takes is a little courage and creativity. Follow these steps and you’ll be clicking ‘Add Position’ on your Linkedin account before you know it.
1. Fill in the Gaps
See all those managers waay up there? Yes, I know it can be difficult from where you’re sitting, but look hard, then ask yourself:
- What are they working on?
- What’s coming up?
- Where do they need help?
The answers to these questions shouldn’t be too hard if you’re paying attention to the daily goings on at your company.
Pick one or two projects and try to fill a void in the project team. If you get a “no”, no problem. Express interest in helping with future projects. If you get a “yes”, then it’s your time to shine.
Take ownership of the portion of the project that you’re given, no matter how small, and drive it to completion. Managers like to see execution, and this is the perfect opportunity to display your skills. A job well done will earn you the chance to take on more responsibility the next time around.
2. Keep Track
It’s important to know what you’re contributing. As you continue to reach above and beyond your current position, you’re building your resume. When promo time rolls around, the more you know about what you’ve done for the company, the more leverage you’ll have with your superiors.
This may be tough for the right-brained among us, but if you can track the quantitative side of your performance – even better. Real quantifiable results beat out general descriptions every time.
3. Ask
In a perfect world, managers would always been in tune with the needs of their employees. Unfortunately, this will never be the case. Choosing the right time to ask for a promo requires good judgement, but when you really know it’s time, then it’s time, so don’t be afraid to speak up!
