At Work Career Advancement The Daily Grind

From Good Employee to Great Boss – 9 Tips to Get You Promoted

By on Friday, April 9, 2010

You’ve been called a great employee. You show up to work on time every day, you complete your work by the deadline, and you never, ever complain. Shouldn’t this be enough to get you to the next level?

In the minds of some employees, the answer would be “yes!” But, in the real world, if you’re showing up to work on time, finishing projects efficiently, and you have a pleasant attitude, then you’re just doing your job!

It takes going above and beyond to get to the next level. So, check out these nine steps to get promoted.

Work where there is opportunity to grow. You can’t move up quickly if there is nowhere to go. So, before you accept a job offer, make sure you find out if there are advancement opportunities. If you already have a job, talk to your supervisor about creating a career path that will lead you in the right direction.

Be the best you can be. After you have accepted a position with an employer, don’t immediately bombard your supervisor with questions about being promoted. Serve your time, pay your dues, and be the best employee you can be. Coming in on time and staying until 5 p.m. does not make you an overachiever. So, ask your co-workers if they need help with any of their projects once yours are completed. Offer assistance when your manager’s load gets too heavy. Show that you are a team player, and be flexible with your work schedule.

Speak up. Don’t be afraid to take ownership on projects you’ve completed or to present your ideas and solutions. You don’t want to have a “look at me” attitude, but it’s OK to keep your boss informed of the projects you’re working on and the ideas you have. This shows initiative and demonstrates you have the abilities, skills, and drive you need to get ahead.

Network with co-workers. Networking doesn’t stop simply because you have a job. Make it a point to meet as many people as you can in your company. Don’t limit yourself just to the people in your department. Many companies offer career paths in multiple areas and departments. And, “who you know” can be important at work when it comes to decisions involving promotions.

Schedule meetings with your boss. Once you have put some time in at your job, consider scheduling some one-on-one times with your supervisor. Take this opportunity to proactively discuss how you are doing in your current position and possible career paths for your future. This is your chance to build a relationship with your boss, address your desire for a promotion, and find out what you need to do to make it happen.

Continue learning. Whenever there is an opportunity to learn a new skill, regardless of whether it’s included in your current tasks or assignments, sign up and attend a conference, webinar, or night class that could benefit you and your team. Continue to build to your skills repertoire. This will build your value to you as an employee and show your employer that you’re willing to put in the extra effort to be the best at your job.

Volunteer for new projects. If your boss asks for volunteers to work on a new task, raise your hand. But, make sure you have time to complete the assignment on top of your normal deadlines first. You don’t want to over promise and then under deliver. If you have time to complete the task, offer to work on as many extra projects as you can. This is a great way to broaden your skills.

Search for a mentor. It’s always a wise decision to search out people who you would like to emulate in your career and ask them to be your mentor. But, before you approach the subject of a mentorship, make sure you’ve established a relationship with your prospect. This is beneficial to you and your prospective guru. It gives you both an opportunity to find out if you’re compatible and allows you to determine whether or not you’re asking the right person to advise you.

Find other employment. If you’ve exhausted all the steps above, growing your skills, expressing interest in advancement and becoming an indispensable member of the team but still have not received a promotion, then it might be time for you to look for other employment opportunities. But, before you jump ship, make sure you’re not just being impatient. After all, timing is everything! If you still feel it’s time to move on, make sure you have another job lined up before you go.

Climbing the career ladder can be difficult at times. There are bumps and snags along the way, but if you follow these nine steps and keep a positive attitude in the process, you could just find your way into the corner office sooner than you think.

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At Work Cube Life My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips The Daily Grind Work/Life Balance

The Building Blocks of a Successful, Professional Résumé

By on Monday, April 5, 2010

Resume BuildingWhen it comes to building a résumé, it’s important to know what to include and how to get an employer to notice yours. Typically, a hiring manager will form an opinion about you and your résumé within about 10 minutes, so your résumé needs to grab someone’s attention … and fast.

So, what does a great résumé include? Make sure you include these items to maximize your job search results.

The Basics. The basics for any résumé include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. And when it comes to listing an address, be sure to include a permanent address to ensure that if an employer sends you something, you will receive it. Also, for e-mail addresses, think professional. A great way to get overlooked for a job opportunity is to include a non-professional e-mail address, such as love2party@gmail.com. Instead, have a more professional e-mail address to include, such as jane.doe@gmail.com. Employers look at every detail on your résumé when deciding if you’re the right employee for them.

Educational Background and Experience. Include what your major is or what certifications and training you have received. The more you include the better. Also, list which school or votech you graduated from or that you’re attending. However, when it comes to your grade point average, only list it if it’s 3.5 or higher.

Objective and Summary of Skills. It’s never a bad idea to include a clear, direct objective and summary of what you’re looking for and what you can offer an employer. Remember, when it comes to a résumé, your ultimate goal is to tell them what you can do for them, not what they can do for you.

For example, if you’re applying for an ad copy writer position, list your top skills that would showcase to the employer why you are the best choice for the job. Keep this object short – only a few sentences at most – and communicate your passion for the job. Grab their attention early on in the résumé.

List of Achievements. Once you’ve told an employer in your objective and summary why they should hire you, you have to show them why. This is the section where you can go more in depth about your skills and abilities. It’s also OK to brag on yourself a little here. Tell them about honors, awards, and recognition you’ve received regarding your area of study. List internships or major projects you worked on that got rave reviews? Did you showcase a major community project for your school?

If you received an award for being the best of the best, include that too. Let a potential employer know what you’re able to do! The more impressive you appear, the better. But remember, a cardinal rule of creating a résumé is to keep everything truthful. Don’t fudge the truth even a little to seem more impressive. If an employer ever finds out you did, your career with them would be over before it ever gets started.

Community and Extracurricular Activities. Be sure to list all the organizations you have been involved in at school and outside of school. Since you don’t have a lot of on-the-job experience yet, this is a great way to show how you’re putting your skills to use.

These are some basic must-haves that every résumé should include. One other thing to keep in mind is the format you use. Usually for recent college grads, a combination of a chronological and functional format  is a good choice. The chronological format lists your experience in a timely order, while the functional format focuses more on just your skills and abilities overall. Also, check out additional tips for getting past resume gaps.

Finally keep the overall design basic and try to keep your résumé to one page in length. The busier your résumé appears, the more distracting it will be. When it comes to the design, less is more. Also, create your résumé in Microsoft Word, but save your final copy as a PDF version.

Follow these tips to make sure you start your job search off on the right foot. Tune in next week for information on creating a list of references.

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At Work Career Advancement Leadership Reader Surveys The Daily Grind

What’s the Worst Kind of Boss?

By on Friday, April 2, 2010

Chances are you’ve worked for many different types of bosses. There are four basic boss personalities you’ve probably encountered on the job: the tiger, the fox, the chameleon, and the ostrich. Each boss has their own style, and there are good and bad elements to each style. But, when a boss only uses the negative sides of their leadership instinct, it can make work miserable. So, we want to know what you think.



Want to know what kind of leader you’d be? Take our quiz and discover your leadership instinct style today!

  • Online Quiz
  • Facebook Quiz

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Career Advancement Career Options Reader Surveys The Job Search

Does Online or In-Person Networking Work Best? The Surprising Results of Poll

By on Thursday, April 1, 2010

With so much focus on social networking and the job search, we wanted to know in our latest poll what you think works best – in person or online networking.

The results of the poll – posted and shared online – may be surprising.

A total of 477 readers responded to the poll, which asked “Which is most effective?”

A huge majority thought in-person networking works best.

Here’s how the results came back:

  • 21.4 % selected “Networking online.”
  • 78.6 % selected “Networking in person.”

But, as our readers shared, that’s not to say that networking online isn’t important. Their comments reinforced the value of balancing both in-person and online networking.

Networking Balance is Key

Reader Chuck Rice responded, “I don't know that you can do one or the other. Face to face will always continue to be important, however online networking is better for staying in touch and discussing a variety of topics to a larger audience. I've found that seeing a post or message from someone in the middle of my business day causes me to act immediately, as long as I've built some face to face relationship.”

Other commentators shared the value of networking online to expand your relationships beyond where time and travel costs allow with traditional networking.

When it comes to networking, it’s clear that balance is key. With all the focus and attention on social media and technology these days, don’t underestimate the value of meeting people face-to-face. Use both in-person and online networking tactics to get the best of both options. Putting all your eggs in one networking basket could limit your opportunities, so carefully plan time for each type of networking in your professional life.

What are your thoughts? Can you afford to rely on just one type of networking these days to build your personal brand, advance in your career, and find great opportunities?

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At Work Cube Life My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips The Daily Grind Work/Life Balance

Full-time Job Versus Internship

By on Monday, March 29, 2010

Full-Time vs InternshipSummer’s fast approaching, and for some, that means college graduation and summer break is right around the corner. With a new-found freedom from school, homework, and classes, what would you do with your free time? Your answer should be to get a J-O-B. And, right now is the time to start looking.

Every new grad wants to land a full-time job with a great starting salary and benefits right out of school, but what if you can’t find a job right away in this economy? Don’t worry. If you’re striking out, consider applying for internships, even if you’ve already had one. They are a great way to get your foot in a company’s door, especially today.

Internships are a good option for companies trying to identify candidates who will be a good fit with their culture. An internship also allows you to take a look at the company to make sure it’s someplace you could see yourself working long term. In addition, some companies offer interns a stipend or a small amount of pay. That can help cover transportation costs to and from work, money for eating out, and some professional clothes. Do a good job as an intern and you could end up getting offered a full-time job when your internship comes to an end.

So, what do you need to start doing today in preparation for finding a job? Here are some key tips to follow.

Get your résumé together. Include info about your degree and experience. List all the activities you’ve helped with in school, in the community, etc. Since you don’t have a ton of professional job experience yet, this helps show employers the skills you do have. Be sure to tailor your résumé to the job you’re applying for. You really want to make your résumé stand out from the crowd.

Start networking. Now is a great time to start networking with professionals in your field of interest. By attending networking meetings, you can easily find out who’s hiring or who needs an intern. And, be sure to have your résumé with you when networking so you can give it to the contacts you make. Also in combination to your networking in person, don’t forget about networking on social media sites too.

Look the part. It’s time to ditch your favorite jeans with the holes in the knees, flip flops, and T-shirts for some professional attire to get people to take notice of you. This shows others you are serious about finding a job.

Be positive. Interviews and networking events can be nerve wracking, but don’t forget to smile when you introduce yourself. When people ask how you’re doing, give them a big smile and tell them you’re great. They’ll be interested to know why and learn more about you. Here are some additional tips to make sure your nonverbal communication sends the right message.

These tips can help you as you begin your job hunt. As part of My Entry-Level Life, we’ll be going into detail each week on a different topic to help you make a transition from where you currently are to your entry level job. Tune in next week as we talk more about how to build your résumé.

Share your thoughts about this series with us here. We want to know how you’re approaching the job hunt for your entry-level position.

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At Work Cube Life The Job Search Workplace Relationships

Could Your Cubemate be Your Next Boss?

By on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Coworkers Eight hours a day, five days a week, you share workspace with your co-workers and peers. During the work week, you discover their habits and quirks, and they discover yours. You go to lunch together. You celebrate birthdays and company milestones. You discuss office politics and swap stories about your boss. You develop routines and adjust to the customs and dynamics of the team. And, you learn to like – or dislike – your co-workers, depending on their personality and yours. Either way, you all learn to work together. But, what happens when the dynamics change and your office comrade – or worse, your office enemy – becomes your boss?

When a peer or co-worker is promoted above you, the adjustment can be difficult, no matter how amiable your rapport has been. Following these tips could make the transition smoother for yourself, your new boss, and your entire team.

Be Respectful. Choosing to respect your superiors and co-workers alike is always a good idea. It may not always be the easiest task – especially if you’ve seen them at their worst, like during an out-of-hand office Christmas party. But, showing respect to everyone you encounter is well worth it. When you demonstrate respect, they’ll often give you the same respect in return. And, respecting your co-workers from the start will help prevent any awkwardness should one of them become your boss in the future. Even if you feel a new boss doesn’t deserve your respect, their new position demands it. So, demonstrate your respect by being conscious of your speech, habits, and attitude when you’re at the water cooler or break room, during meetings, in the cube, and throughout the day.

Be Patient. Remember that your newly appointed boss is new to their job, so cut them some slack. Even the most experienced managers and executives make mistakes. Just like you, they’re only human, and errors and oversights will happen. So, be patient while they’re figuring things out.

Your manager may feel the need to institute some professional distance from peers once they’ve been promoted. Follow their lead and allow the relationship’s dynamic to evolve. Understand that your new boss may need to establish some clout and influence with the team in the beginning. Patience is a virtue and an asset your supervisors value, so don’t sweat the office politics, changes, and adjustments. Instead, take it in stride.

Feel like you’re losing your patience? Check out these tips to regain your serenity at work.

Be Flexible. Employers want and need flexible employees because life and work often require it. Be a flexible employee who’s willing to take on tasks and projects even when they don’t fall within your job description or title. You may not be accustomed to taking orders from your co-worker-turned-captain, but be a team player and go with the flow when plans change.

When problems arise, help be the solution instead of just another roadblock. Being a flexible employee will make your boss’ job easier, which can make your job easier too! With so many work-life headaches to handle, being a helpful and flexible employee your employer can trust will help you standout from the rest.

When work relationships change, the transition can be difficult for the team. But, by being a respectful, patient, and flexible employee, you can help calm rough waters and get noticed as a valuable employee your company and your new boss can’t do without.

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At Work Career Options My Entry-Level Life New Job Tips Resumes and Cover Letters The Daily Grind The Job Search Work/Life Balance

My Entry-Level Life

By on Monday, March 22, 2010

Spring is in the air. It’s the time of year when college students begin anticipating summer vacation or start preparing for life after college. Maybe you or someone you know is looking for that first job or maybe hoping to land an internship or part-time job. Regardless of what you’re looking for, we’ve got some information you’re going to want to read.

Starting next Monday, March 29, and going through the beginning of August, we’re featuring a new blog series called My Entry-Level Life. As part of this series, each week we will post different topics about finding and transitioning into entry-level job positions.

Through this series, we’ll share tips on topics like hunting for an internship or first job, what to do the first day at work, work-life balance, phone etiquette, interacting with upper management, and much, much more. Whether you’re just starting out or starting over, this series will tell you what you need to know.

Next Monday, the focus will be on beginning the job hunt. We’ll discuss the benefits of getting a full-time job versus the benefits of an internship. How do you start looking for a job or internship? Tune in next Monday to find out!

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