How to get noticed and promoted in your job
Fed up with being passed over for promotions? Not sure how to get noticed and promoted in your job? Try these ideas and watch your work life flourish!
1 - Be reliable
This one is a no-brainer. Employers are paying you to work for them, and they won't be impressed if you are late or frequently taking days off for the mildest of sniffles. So stock up on vitamins or get the flu jab in winter, make sure you plan enough time for your journey to work and show your manager that you can be relied upon. You'll score even more points if you make it in to work on a snow day when many other staff are absent, and if you're seen to be one of those people who do their best to come in, even when they are feeling a bit rubbish. However, don't milk it too much! You don't want to come in vomiting and make the rest of your team sick, so use a bit of common sense with this one!
2 - Don't run for the door the moment you finish for the day
Nothing says "I don't want to be here" more than a staff member who leaves a trail of dust behind them the minute they clock off for the day. However, it's not necessarily a good idea to get into a competition to see who can stay the latest, either - we all need our rest and recuperation time, and many of us also have responsibilities outside of work. It's more a case of assessing the situation. Is there a backlog of work that needs to be dealt with? Or do you have a colleague who is stressed and trying to finish something urgent? If so, then taking the time to stay on and help out will definitely help to get you noticed. After all, wouldn't you want to hire people who are conscientious enough to ensure that they are not leaving tasks half complete at the end of the day?
3 - Go above and beyond the call of duty
Are you one of those people who looks at the floor when you have a team meeting and the boss asks for help with something which isn't really in your job description? If the answer is yes, then it's time to have a re-think. The members of staff who put themselves out there are the ones who get more seriously considered for promotions. So, next time your manager needs help with a task why not volunteer, even if you're busy or it's not really your remit?
4 - Notice areas for improvement, and offer to help
It's easy to turn into a robot at work, mechanically doing what is required of you each day and not really thinking outside the box. But are there parts of what you do that would be more efficient if they were done a different way? Could you see ways to improve your department? If so, put them forward. Managers and Team Leaders are usually people who are good at problem solving and taking the initiative, so if you want to get promoted, demonstarating these qualities will certianly help. However, be aware that if you are constantly undermining processes that your own boss has put into place, this could also go the other way and start to irriatate them, so make sure you approach your suggestions with sensitivity!
5 - Be realistic and put in the ground work
I've worked with many staff members who, after a few months, start to complain that they deserve a pay rise and/or promotion. It's not usually a realistic expectation to want this within a few short months of starting a new job, so put in the ground work, do some of the things mentioned above and bide your time. You WILL get noticed and you WILL get promoted, but you need to understand that it doesn't happen overnight. My first promotion came about two years after starting in recruitment and I didn't make Team Leader or take on management responsibility until I had been with Axcis for about four years. But now, I am a senior manager in the company, have had the privilege of helping to manage and re-shape many of the functions in the company and I'm thrilled to say that I've been very well looked after as a result. I'm now in my 15th year with Axcis... patience and hard work pay off!
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