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By Robert Half
International, © 2007, Career Builder,
http://www.careerbuilder.com
It happened again:
While you were plugging away at yet another project, Mindy from down the
hall was promoted -- just like Aaron was four weeks ago and Susan six months
before that. You know your work is top-notch, so why aren't you climbing the
ranks like your colleagues?
If you possess similar skills and experience as your co-workers, you may
have been passed over simply because they do more than you do to get
noticed. Today, it's not enough to be a hard worker to move forward in your
career; your boss has to perceive you to be a dedicated, top performer, too.
You may think your accomplishments speak for themselves, but sometimes, you
have to do a little "personal PR" in order to gain recognition and reach
your career goals.
By developing targeted career management and communication strategies, you
can earn your supervisor's stamp of approval - and more importantly,
position yourself to assume his or her job should he or she decide to move
on. Here are some tips to raise your visibility:
1. Conduct a self-assessment.
Before you look for ways to promote yourself, take an honest look at your
professional abilities. Do you have the requisite skills to assume a higher
role? If so, what steps have you taken to build your knowledge base and keep
current on industry trends? You may discover there are certain areas, such
as time management or delegation, that you must develop before pursuing a
management position. Alternately, you may realize you don't want a
leadership role at all.
2. Step up to the challenge.
Volunteer for new assignments, even those considered unpleasant or risky.
Sometimes these offer the best opportunities to showcase your abilities.
Perhaps your supervisor just requested help with an important initiative -
quickly compiling research on your company's key competitor, for example -
and no one is willing to take charge. This is an excellent chance for you to
demonstrate your leadership ability and secure a solid platform for your
ideas. Assuming tasks that fall outside your typical workload, especially
during critical times, also can earn you recognition from those who might
otherwise overlook your day-to-day contributions.
3. Assert yourself.
Show your enthusiasm and interest in the company by actively participating
in office discussions. Before you attend meetings, review the agenda and
prepare a few points of interest on the topics at hand. While you don't want
to talk just to hear yourself speak, do not hesitate to share your ideas
when you have something valuable to add. Also look for opportunities to
present on topics. You might, for example, volunteer to serve as a trainer
during new-hire orientations, providing an overview of your department and
how others in the organization can work with your group effectively.
4. Exercise your bragging rights.
You may have heard the phrase, "It's not what you know but who you know that
matters." Well, in many cases, the most important factor is who knows you.
Imagine that the executives in your company are having a meeting to decide
who will work on an exciting new project. Would anyone in the room mention
your name? Do any of the key people know who you are and what you've
accomplished? If not, you've got some self-promoting to do.
Getting onto someone's radar screen can be difficult or nerve-racking, so
take small steps. For example, e-mail a weekly status report to your boss,
detailing major accomplishments and upcoming projects. Or volunteer to send
your team's update memos to the department director or present your group's
milestones at the annual business-planning meeting.
5. Accept credit graciously.
When someone compliments you for doing an outstanding job on a project, how
do you react? If you typically shrug it off and say, "It was nothing," you
may be leaving the door open for someone else to steal your thunder. A much
better response would be, "Thank you. I'm really glad my hard work paid
off." You may even want to describe next steps, if appropriate, to
underscore your commitment to the initiative's success. Just be careful
about accepting credit that's not yours - it's a surefire way to create
tension among your co-workers.
6. Shoot the breeze.
Do not underestimate the importance of attending company gatherings, such as
annual barbecues or holiday parties. But do more than make an appearance.
Take time to talk with people throughout the company - not just those with
whom you are already pals -- and participate in special activities such as
fund-raisers and sports leagues. Through these informal events, you can
develop camaraderie with other employees and make valuable new contacts
within the organization.
Working hard will always be critical to your career success, but you will
never achieve your full potential unless others are aware of your expertise
and accomplishments. In addition to maintaining your strong work ethic,
consider pulling a few of the "personal publicity stunts" mentioned above,
and you may soon find yourself celebrating your own promotion. |
