Five Ways to Advance Your Career

Posted by FGP Intl. on 08/05/10 -

As VP of Business Development and a 20-year veteran of Find Great People International, I’ve seen plenty of superbly qualified candidates. Yet I’ve also seen many of them sidestep some of the simplest, most straightforward methods of propelling themselves into higher positions.

The best progress, in fact, is gradual, perhaps even invisible. It’s the kind no one seems to notice––until one day they wake up and realize that their buddy Ben is now regarded as some sort of corporate celebrity. Don’t laugh. It can happen. So how do you become more valuable to your company while gathering the enduring respect of colleagues, and what’s more, do it without coming off as pompous or self-serving? Here are a few ideas.

• Develop some longevity.

Too many professionals are still leapfrogging from job to job, sometimes as often as every six months. But earning higher salaries and lofty titles don’t begin to compensate for the poor professional images of those who apparently feel little or no company loyalty.

A past client evaluated the resume of a candidate I’d recruited for them and then fired back a note: “Wow, lots of job movement here! I’d like to know what the problem is.” Fortunately I was able to explain the mitigating factors: various company mergers, consulting assignments, etc. But it still left a sour taste in the client’s mouth, and the digging required for me to validate the circumstances cost both of us valuable time. How much better it would have been for us to have invested time discussing that executive’s stellar qualifications leading to the obvious request to set an interview.

• Finish what you start.

Think of this as a corollary to the above. If you’re tagged to implement a major project, then you’d better not cut and run when things get messy––which they will. Conceptualizing is easy. Putting plans into action is hard, because at that stage you’re invariably dealing with human beings who are unpredictable and rarely satisfied with the results.

Say you develop a sensational plan to implement Six Sigma or Workforce Diversity but you refuse to seek input from your team or delegate responsibility to others. As for ducking out the back door before the job is completed, well, no one will ever forget you. And I don’t mean that as a compliment.

• Ask for more responsibility.

If you don’t ask, you probably won’t get. Believe it or not, bosses resent using “the draft.” They’d much rather hear from some eager-beaver than tap an unwilling or overwhelmed prospect on the shoulder. Imagine the effect of your telling your boss, “I’ve discovered a problem and if it’s all right with you, I’d like to study this in addition to what I’m already doing and then get back to you with a proposal.”

Wouldn’t he or she likely nod and then “mentally” instruct you to go to the head of the class? I’d bet on it more often than not. Promotions tend to be the result of outstanding efforts day-by-day. It’s your job to paint a picture of yourself as someone who’s always searching for ways to grow and improve––all in your company’s best interest, of course.

• Go public.

Many trade publications, newsletters and web sites are literally crying for articles. One of the single, most beneficial things you can do to advance your career is to get published. Somehow seeing one’s name in print or on line automatically elevates him/her to the status of guru!

A side note: Don’t expect to be paid for this. There’s rarely an adequate budget. Think of it instead in terms of win-win: The association/organization receives a gift, it’s good PR for your corporation, and you get another opportunity to be made visible in your field.

• Continue the educational process.

Anyone who’s trying to rise through the ranks will never feel they have “arrived.” Every course you take, every exam you pass, every degree you earn adds to your credibility. Also, once you become a manager or a VP, no one can ever point a finger and ask why you’ve been “knighted” without the proper credentials.

Perhaps you’ve noticed what all of these suggestions have in common: They don’t involve any arrogance or grandstanding. By increasing your dependability, asking for additional responsibility, and sharing or enhancing your knowledge, you invariably elevate and advance yourself. A pretty good payoff don’t you think?