Everyone wishes to grow in their career and move up to hold the company’s top position. However not everyone moves up to be the company’s CEO. This is because such people lack the relevant skills and techniques that can help them move up their career ladder.
This is how you can be able to move up your career ladder:
1. Define your corporate goal.
Your ultimate goal may be to hold a top leadership position in a company or to manage a large department. Be specific about your career goals. Write your goals down and keep them in your desk so that you can remind yourself to stay motivated.
2. Demonstrate your commitment.
Show the higher-ups that your goals align with the goals of the company. Stuffing envelopes or filing paperwork may seem below your skill level, but remind yourself that your work is important and may lead to company sales. Bringing an executive their morning coffee may seem far removed from your goal of being an executive, but it will allow you to build interpersonal relationships and will help the executive to better perform daily tasks.
3. Network with co-workers.
Build positive relationships with people at all levels of the company. One of your co-workers may become your boss someday. A colleague with whom you have a personality clash may wind up in a position to chime in about your suitability for a promotion. Treat everyone with respect and fairness, and they will be likely to pay you respect in return.
4. Ask veteran employees about their experiences.
Ask them to explain to you how they worked their way up the corporate ladder. Their advancement paths and strategies might resonate with you and give you inspiration. However, remember that each person’s path to success is unique.
Approach your co-worker when they have free time. Tell them that you admire their work, and that you hope to increase your value to the company. Ask them: “How do you recommend pursuing a promotion here?” or “How did you work your way to your current position?” You could even praise them for a specific task that they recently completed, and ask them how they went about accomplishing it.
5. Remain motivated in your position.
Understanding your role’s value to the overall process and to the company will allow you to demonstrate the proper commitment. Maintain a positive attitude; you never know who is paying attention.
6. Attend company-wide social functions.
It might be tempting to skip the company’s holiday event, but attending such social gatherings will allow you to interact with a wide variety of company employees. It will also increase your visibility and your chances of being viewed as an integral member of the company.
7. Enroll in classes to strengthen skills.
Learn the information and skills that you need to progress to the next level in the company. If your goal is to work your way up from administrative assistant to project coordinator to project manager to department director, always prepare for the next job in the sequence of promotions.
8. Apply to relevant job openings.
Many companies tend to promote from within, since they value employees who wish to stay with their company for a long time. Ask your employer if there is an internal job postings site, as some opportunities might be shared within the company before they decide to outsource or open the role to new hires.