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How to Climb When There’s No Ladder

By Job Journey on Monday, March 6, 2017

With thousands of career options available, you’ve probably put a bit of thought into where you’d like to be in ten, fifteen, or twenty years from now. If management or leadership is part of your desired career path, you’re not alone. According to business consultant and author Lynette Lewis, “Growth is a natural sign of being alive, so it is healthy to want to expand, develop, and advance both personally and professionally.”

For many, earning a leadership position requires a climb up the corporate ladder. But what do you do when there’s no clear ladder in sight?

Make a plan

When it comes to accomplishing a long-term goal, you must have a plan. Start by figuring out your ultimate goal. Do you want to own your own company? Become a manager? A partner in a firm? Whatever it may be, write your goal down, then make a list of everything you need to do to achieve it.

Divide your list into manageable segments, like education, experience, and skills. By breaking one long-term goal into smaller, easily obtainable goals, your career dreams may become more realistic. Even if your current workplace doesn’t provide room to move up, having—and following—a plan will help you make targeted movements along your career path.

According to The Muse, “No career goal is out of reach if you go into the game with a strategy.”

Educate yourself and never stop learning

To find work in specialized fields, you likely need to be educated in those industries and possess the skills companies look for in employees. But, education doesn’t stop when you graduate high school, earn your college diploma, or finish your certification. In fact, employers often look highly upon employees who take the initiative to further educate themselves.

This doesn’t mean you have to enroll in a traditional 4-year college program. Instead, check out your local resources for educational opportunities. Your city may have a community college that offers individual classes on computer programs, communication, or other specialized skills for your job. Likewise, your industry may have an employee association you can join. Those associations usually have resources available to members, including networking opportunities, webinars, and newsletters.

Network, network, network

Have you heard the famous phrase: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? It’s a reminder of the importance of networking and meeting people who may be able to help you on your career path. When it comes to advancing your career or moving into a leadership role where there may not be a clear path for you, it’s especially important to focus on networking.

Consider, for example, that you attend an association event filled with industry colleagues and executives. Through networking, you meet someone with whom you share a story about your experience. The skills you have are a perfect fit for a leadership role at this person’s company, but you may not have known that had you not attended the event.

Likewise, if you earn a new certification and add it to your LinkedIn profile, it may get you noticed by someone in your company who didn’t know you possessed the skills or motivations that you have.

Work harder

It goes without saying that you must work hard to advance your career, right? But when there isn’t room for advancement in your workplace, it’s especially important to excel in your role. When you have the opportunity to go the extra mile, take it. If your supervisor needs someone to volunteer as the lead on a project, and your schedule allows for it, raise your hand. If you would like to try something new, ask about it. Supervisors notice the employees who work hard, and if you want to advance your career, you must first be noticed.

Take initiative

While working hard is essential to getting noticed by leaders in the company, so is being an initiator. Supervisors are busy, so if you notice something that could be done more efficiently in your everyday work, or you recognize a place where the company could save money, find time to present your findings to them. Chances are, your unique position allows you to recognize problems or deliver solutions better than anyone else. Not only can your suggestions benefit the company, they can also show that you have strong initiative.

Keep a positive folder

When someone sends you an email thanking you for superior service or congratulates you on an accomplishment, hang onto those emails. Consider creating a folder in your inbox or on your computer where you can keep notes of positivity from others. Not only will this folder serve as a quick way to boost your spirits, it can also show your supervisor how you’ve helped others. When you have a performance review or want to discuss the opportunity to advance in your role, use the documents in your folder to support you.

Say thanks

We all like to feel appreciated. And while it may be nice to receive the promotion, pay raise, or advancement you’ve set your sights on, it’s important to say thanks to those who help you on every step of your career path. After all, thankfulness and positivity are traits of strong leaders.

How do you move forward with your career, even when there isn’t a clear path for advancement? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

At Work

Climb the Ladder: 5 Ways to Get That Promotion in 2017

By Job Journey on Friday, January 13, 2017

Earlier this month, we published a post revealing what our readers predict the job market holds in store for the coming year. For the most part, responses were optimistic with 28% of respondents predicting that the job market will improve and they “will definitely get a job offer or a promotion in 2017.” So we thought we’d offer a few suggestions to snag a promotion and climb the company ladder in the coming year.

Be Dependable

This one seems obvious, but a lack of dependability is one of the top complaints of many bosses. So show up on time. Call or text if you realize you’re going to be delayed. If you’re too sick to make it to work, give the boss as much advance notice as possible so he or she can make arrangements to cover your absence. Complete your assignments and tasks on time. Don’t schedule personal days during particularly busy times or in the middle of time-sensitive projects. Want to really make a positive impression? Be the go-to person for your boss or supervisor. Volunteer to take on additional responsibilities.

Be Coachable

Learn from the wisdom of people who have “been there, done that.” A good coach dispenses guidance and feedback to help you improve, not to ridicule you and point out your flaws. Condition yourself to accept constructive criticism, and don’t take it personally. Make it your goal to become a better listener. When someone gives you instruction or advice, give your full, undivided attention. Don’t try to formulate your response until the person speaking finishes their thought and you’ve taken a moment to process the information. Ask follow-up questions to show that you understand and to clarify anything that may be unclear. Seek advice and guidance from trusted sources. Learn more about being coachable here.

Think Like a Boss

While you’re on the job, take on a corporate mindset. Consider how your job fits in to the big picture. How does what you and your department do affect the other employees and departments in your organization? Be proactive. Try to anticipate situations that may affect your job or department. Be mindful of when particularly busy periods occur in your workplace and recognize the challenges that come along with it. You don’t have to be the first person to raise your hand when the boss needs someone to work an overtime shift, but at least you won’t be surprised when she asks.

Speak Up

Voicing your opinion shows your boss and co-workers that you’re engaged and interested in solving problems. There are many reasons people are reluctant to make their voices heard. Maybe you’re an introvert or you’re afraid your ideas will be rejected. Whatever the reason, if speaking in front of a group stresses you out, you’re not alone. When it comes to gaining self-assurance, remember to project confidence, make eye contact, and keep your comments short and to the point. Read these tips for building your speaking muscle.

Read More

First, learn everything you can about the company you work for. Hopefully your employer has a website. Refresh your memory by reading the About Us section to brush up on company history, their mission statement, and corporate leaders. Be aware of the products and services your employer provides and of the types of customers your company serves. Second, keep up with the news and trends that affect your line of work. Read books, blogs, and websites that focus on your industry or business. The ability to intelligently discuss the state of your business or industry will definitely set you apart from the competition.

How will you stand out in the coming year? Do you have any tips or secrets for rising above the rest? Tell us in the comments section below.

At Work The Job Search

Job Lessons From 2016’s Biggest Stories

By Job Journey on Monday, December 5, 2016

As 2016 winds to a close, we reflect back on the biggest news stories of the year. This year brought not only the most unique presidential race and election, but also the sad farewell to many loved celebrities, the emergence of the Zika virus, the wild Olympics in Rio, and more.

What do these major news stories have to do with your job or employment search? Perhaps more than you realize. We’ve taken the top job lessons from 2016’s biggest news stories and broken them down into tips you can apply every day.

1. Presidential Race and Election
America sat on the edge of its seat as the race for president heated up between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump. Although Trump was elected president, many in the media and the nation didn’t think he had a chance … at first.

Are you underestimated in your job right now? Do you keep getting passed over for promotions or large projects because people do not think you have what it takes? Take a lesson from this year’s election by focusing on your strengths and letting those strengths be known. You can start by sharing any victories you accomplished this year. Create a detailed report stating what you have done to improve the company’s bottom line or operations.

Be assertive and speak up in meetings. If you have an idea, present it in a strong and confident manner. Do not be afraid to defend yourself if other co-workers attack or put you down. Don’t let being the underdog or the forgotten employee keep you from rising to the top.

2. Zika Virus Emerges
In 2016, a scary, little-known virus made headlines, spreading panic throughout the southern United States and South America. Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected mosquito and can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. Infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects. No vaccine or medicine is available for Zika.

What employees can learn from this story is to always be prepared for the worst and take precautions to avoid risk. Every day, workers can find ways to anticipate work-related issues and take steps now to prevent those issues. Just like wearing bug spray and long sleeves can reduce the risk of mosquito bites, putting strategies in place to stave away problems in your job can be invaluable to your career health.

What are the biggest risks you face? What is the one problem your job solves? Make a list of what you can do now to prevent any disasters or illness from infecting your job security.

3. Rio Olympic Games
Some of the most inspiring headlines of the year were stories about Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. She captivated the world with her gold-medal performances and big smile at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero. As explained in this Time magazine profile, Biles had to overcome some serious life challenges to get where she is today. Neither of her parents were able to raise her due to drug addiction and she spent some time in foster care before being adopted by her grandparents.

You may feel that life dealt you a bad hand, but that doesn’t limit where you can go with your career. Work hard. Stay positive. Make the most of your natural abilities. And like Simone, you too can excel.

4. Practice honesty, integrity, and transparency
One of the other major headliners to come out of the 2016 Olympics was the controversy over swimmer Ryan Lochte. The twelve-time medalist tarnished his reputation by behaving badly in a Rio gas station. Then, he fabricated a story to cover his actions, as detailed in this USA Today news article.

The valuable takeaway? Everyone makes mistakes—even when you’re at the top of your game. Owning up to them may be difficult, but employers value honesty and transparency.

5. Historic World Series
It’s been more than 100 years since the Chicago Cubs had a World Series. The story has it that the Cub’s losing “curse” began in 1945 when a local tavern owner and his goat (yes, he bought a ticket for it) were ejected from a ball game during a bid for the World Series.

Despite setting a record for the longest World Series drought in baseball, the Chicago Cubs players and their devoted fans persevered. In 2016, the team captured international attention as it won the pennant, then the World Series.

If you’ve been waiting for a well-deserved promotion or just hoping your boss will notice how much you contribute, don’t give up. Persevere. Like the Cubs, continue to do your best until you hit it out of the ballpark.

6. Celebrity Deaths
In 2016, we said goodbye to numerous beloved celebrities, including musicians David Bowie, Prince, Leon Russell, and Natalie Cole, as well as stars Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, and Merle Haggard, to name a few.

Job lessons learned from this are that change and loss are inevitable. You may lose your job, suffer setbacks, and lose co-workers or say goodbye to a favorite job task. How you react to these changes is important to surviving the loss and fear of the unknown. Be open to change. Be willing to learn new tasks in order to stay relevant.

Learn to let go of the past and embrace an exciting new future. If nothing changes, then your job, your career, and your motivation become stagnant. So while change may be painful at first, it can also lead to bigger and better things if you allow it to.

What do you think were the biggest stories of 2016? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Career Options

Why Do People Reject Job Offers?

By Job Journey on Monday, December 21, 2015

If you’ve been in a job search for a long time, it may seem incomprehensible that someone could reject a job offer. After perfecting your resume, crafting a cover letter, gathering your references, applying, preparing for an interview, interviewing, following up, and waiting to hear from your interviewer, it seems like a job offer would be a fantastic reward, right? Not always.

In fact, Express Employment Professionals recently released a new survey that reveals why applicants turn down job offers and why workers leave the jobs they have.

Respondents were asked, “What hurdles stop you from staying on a job?,” and the top answer was pay with 61% of votes. Also selected were schedule (42%), hours (41%), and advancement/opportunity (28%). Take a look at the graphic below for the full poll results.

Would any of these factors stop you from taking a job? Have you turned down an offer due to one of these, or other, reasons? Let us know in the comments section below!

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Career Advancement

St. Patrick’s Day: Lucky Breaks in the Workplace

By Job Journey on Friday, March 13, 2015

Do you ever feel like some people are just lucky, especially when it comes to their professional life? Somehow they get all the attention and wind up getting promoted, all the while you faithfully show up every day, do what’s asked of you, and are still in the same position you started out in. It’s understandable why you may feel unlucky, but the reality is that the professional world doesn’t work that way. An article from the Huffington Post lays it out like this: “While many employees do fine work, exceeding expectations in one’s day-to-day activities is not enough to get ahead. Rather, those who capture promotions are driven internally to strive for more.”

However, when you’re in the trenches, it’s easy to assume that someone else’s promotion was for less admirable reasons. “She managed to land the hot projects and got all the glory.” “He only got his promotion because he’s friends with the boss.” “She was always given the leadership roles.” But, there may be more to the story than these natural assumptions, and chances are the promotion probably had nothing to do with luck.

Landed the Hot Projects
Maybe she did get handed some of the high-profile projects, but you need to ask yourself “why?” Most likely she acted and worked in a way that caused her manager to trust her with bigger and bigger tasks. So, you need to do that too. A Chicago Tribune article recommends anyone desiring a future promotion to “Show initiative by volunteering for projects, either within your department, on a cross-functional team, or a temporary job detail. Project work will give you an opportunity to gain more experience, showcase your skills to a broader group, expand your network, and gain even greater name recognition.” Sometimes it really is as simple as asking for projects and showing you’re a dependable, solutions-focused, hard worker.

Buddies With The Boss
Having a close relationship with top-level executives and learning from your boss can legitimately play a role in getting promoted. Generally, people recommend people they like, even if it gets labeled as “office politics.” “Much of what is dismissed as ‘politics’ is simply part of the job description – being a good communicator,” Forbes explains. “Being visible. Being helpful. Building relationships. You can’t be a leader without doing those things.” The Chicago Tribune suggests getting a mentor because that person “can also be instrumental in spreading positive press by championing your skills, talents, and abilities throughout the organization to the right people.”

Always The Team Leader
Once again, she was handed leadership roles in projects and within the team for a reason. Attitude, track record, dependability, passion, and drive all factor into whether or not a manager trusts you enough to give you a chance at leadership. And usually that leadership role will start out small, and then as you prove yourself the roles will grow. As the Forbes article states, “You don’t become a leader by being promoted. You get promoted because you are a leader.” It’s up to you to find a way to prove your leadership ability.

Getting a promotion rarely has anything to do with the luck and everything to do with hard work. “People who are recognized and promoted are those who make an effort and stand out in their organization,” affirms Huffington Post. “They are go-getters who are fearless in taking on a new challenge, and they constantly challenge the status quo.” So your best bet for landing that promotion is to stop wishing on a four-leaf clover and start hustling instead.

How have you worked hard to receive a promotion? Share your stories in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Leadership

Leadership Lessons from Popular Songs

By Job Journey on Monday, February 9, 2015

Every day, the radio plays the hottest songs of the season, and while these songs entertain, they can also teach us a thing or two about leadership.

Leadership lessons from popular songs? Why not? When it comes down to it, everything can be a way to improve leadership skills. Some of these tunes have a deeper underlying theme that can help you find your steps and improve your life.

So, without further adieu, let’s find our leadership lessons in these popular songs.

1. “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift manages to shake off the naysayers and bounce back bigger and better every time. You too can follow this example. You’ll have people trying to cut you down, hold you back, and make you feel less than perfect, but it’s your choice how to react. Everyone makes mistakes. Success comes from how you handle that mistake, and great leaders don’t let others bring them down. Concentrate on doing the best you can, learn from your mistakes, and strive to move on.

2. “I’m Not the Only One” by Sam Smith
This song is about listening to your instincts when something doesn’t feel right. In today’s world, the art of listening to your inner voice is sometimes nonexistent. However, knowing what’s in your heart can lead you on the right path. If something doesn’t feel legitimate or if you can’t trust who you are dealing with, you might want to keep your guard up. If you come across an opportunity, like a job posting, that feels good, explore it further. Research the company and learn about its culture, goals, and history. But, remember the age-old wisdom – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

3. “Ghost” by Ella Henderson
Sometimes we make mistakes or go through a bad time, and we can’t seem to let that mistake go. We keep “going to the river to pray” because we need something to wash the pain away, but it keeps haunting us. Ella makes a good point. She’s losing sleep, she’s dealing with the devil, and she’s still hurting. Maybe it’s time for you to give up the ghost. What has happened in the past cannot be changed, but dwelling on those destructive feelings can only cause more harm. Maybe you’ve had a bad job experience, or your interviews aren’t always going perfectly. Find a way to make peace with your past and enter the future with a bright, positive outlook.

4. “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5
The first line of this popular song is “just shoot for the stars, if it feels right.” The boys from Maroon 5 have the right idea. If you have a dream and it feels right to you, then go for it. Consider what you want to accomplish and start making progress to reach your goals. If you want to start a side gig, switch careers, or go for a big promotion, you have to be the one to make it happen. Having dreams and goals are important, but so is believing in them. Every day, do something that helps you reach your goals.

5. “Superheroes” by the Script
As the lyrics say, “When you’ve been fighting for it all your life, you’ve been struggling to make things right, that’s how a superhero learns to fly, Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power.” This song teaches us to never give up and to always keep fighting for what is important. Challenges, victories, defeats, and experiences give us the tools to become superheroes, especially if you learn to turn pain into power. No matter what happens, you can overcome the difficulties and become a super leader to others. Take all your experiences and become stronger because of it.

Next time your favorite song comes on the radio, listen hard. You may learn a life lesson from simple lyrics.

Do you have a favorite song that inspires you as a leader? Share with us in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Uncategorized

DIY – Skip the Career Ladder

By Job Journey on Friday, October 24, 2014

DIYcareer_web

From home repair projects to car tune ups and crafts, we live in a do-it-yourself world. If a traditional career path doesn’t seem as appealing to you as owning your own business, why not join the DIY craze when it comes to your career?

Take the Elevator to Get There Faster

Today, most young employees have an entrepreneurial spirit. So, if you’re really driven and want to skip the career ladder, consider taking the elevator straight to the top of business ownership. According to Entrepreneur, 71% of Millennials working in a corporate environment want to become a business owner. One reason is because of the freedom that comes along with being the boss.

A recent Movin’ On Up poll also asked readers if they considered starting a business. Almost 20% of respondents said they already own their own business, while 17% were in the process of starting their business. Nearly half (46%) of respondents said they would like to start their own business, but don’t know where to begin.

How You Can Make It Happen

If you don’t know where to start, consider contacting The U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA offers a variety of online resources and training, as well as assistance with creating a business plan. You can also sign up at SBA.gov to receive helpful business tips and information on upcoming events in your area.

You may consider starting a side gig to test the waters of owning a business before you jump in with both feet.

And if you’re currently working, continue giving it your best while at the office. You might acquire additional skills while on the job. Keep working on your hobby after hours until your hobby takes off and becomes your career.

Stability of Franchising

The Kauffman Foundation also conducted a survey on Millennials who either want to start a business or have already started one. According to Kauffman Foundation president and CEO Carl Schramm, “Millennials recognize that entrepreneurship is the key to reviving the economy.”

If you have the drive, franchising might be another great option. With franchising, you get to be the boss, but you have the support system of a national or global franchise system. Express Employment Professionals is one of the fastest growing franchises in North America. For more information about owning an Express franchise, visit ExpressFranchising.com.

Have you started down the DIY road? Are you taking additional training to make business ownership a reality? Share with us in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.