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Six
Steps to Getting Ahead in Your Career
1. Find a Mentor
A good mentor is that special someone who will take the trouble to see things
from your point of view, take your side and guide you in the right direction.
The best professional mentors are people with experience in your own industry
who can give sound professional advice, help you brainstorm and solve problems,
put matters in perspective and sometimes open doors for you. Mentors however
need not be from your own industry. An old college professor, an entrepreneur
friend of the family, a family banker with a good overall business sense or
even someone in a completely unrelated field whose integrity, judgement and
intuition you trust, can all serve as allies and sounding boards as you progress
up the career ladder. Try to find that someone you can learn from and who
can help you through the uncertain patches in your job and overall career.
2. Effective Time Management
Effective time management boils down to setting specific goals and meeting
them. Plan ahead both in macro terms and micro terms. Set deadlines for projects
and then break the projects up into individual milestones with separate deadlines
which you can tick off as you accomplish them. Delegate along the way. Dina
in graphics for example may be better equipped to draw those Excel charts
and make them visually appealing than you, so allocate that particular microtask
to her. Make your deadlines reasonable and aim to overdeliver rather than
overpromise. It is always better to have some slack time at the end of a project
to check for detail and presentation rather than have to rush the next item
on your agenda.
You will find that this kind of planning is so attractive that it will spill
over into your personal life. Little Johnny's life will be so much fuller
when you see how many activities you can schedule for him on paper and when
you can allocate that half hour between your lunch break and that meeting
to paying him a surprise icecream visit at school. You will also find yourself
scheduling more 'fun' and 'relaxing' activities for yourself when you take
control of your time by planning ahead.
3. Manage Your Boss
Bosses have lives, career roadblocks, deadlines and worries of their own and
a smart employee will learn how to ingratiate themselves to their boss amidst
all the noise and create an ongoing professional dialogue that achieves both
parties' objectives. Proactivity is the key to a successful employee/ employer
relationship. Take control of your career and communicate your goals, aspirations,
ideas and concerns to your boss on an ongoing basis rather than hoping he
will make plans that suit you and notice all the work you get done. Effective
communication in the right tone at the right time is a very important component
of this relationship as is full transparency, making it easier for your boss
to see and appreciate your work and efforts and promote you.
4. Negotiate for What You're Worth
There's nothing like feeling underpaid and undervalued to put a damper on
your career aspirations and stifle your motivation and productivity. Take
control of the situation and try to negotiate a compensation package that
is more in line with what you feel you're worth.
Remember, there are specific rules to successful negotiation. First of all,
make sure what you are about to negotiate for is realistic. Arm yourself with
some knowledge of what your peers in the industry and in the company are making
and a sound judgment regarding how much you feel your boss really values you.
Secondly, target a win-win scenario. Aim to show your job how much better
off he will be having a better paid employee who will then exert more effort,
take more initiative and live up to the yet untapped potential everyone knows
she has. The message essentially is "employee is unhappy, unhappy employee
is unmotivated, employee sees no fairness in situation, let's make company
more profitable and boss look much better by paying employee to be more motivated
and produce more and better work."
Thirdly, make sure the tone is right and that you are flexible so you can
win in a number of different scenarios. Listen carefully to your boss's point
of view and anticipate his concerns. Be prepared to offer different means
for him to meet your justified aspirations. For instance, if after a respectful
and well argued dialogue, your boss is unable to meet your demands for a cash
raise, ask for a guaranteed bonus, or a raise 3 or 6 months down the road
providing you meet specific milestones, or non-cash compensation hikes such
as medical insurance, children's schooling or stock options. It may be that
you will be happy just with a new title which will more adequately reflect
your position and responsibilities. Plan several ways you can proceed towards
the compensation package you find satisfactory and aim to leave the meeting
having advanced in one of these directions.
5. Delegate
This is not about passing the buck. It's about freeing yourself to do what
you do best and achieving maximum efficiency all around. It's not entirely
optimal for a consultant with a PHD in Stochastics to spend 3 hours perfecting
the pastel shades on his powerpoint presentation when he could have used that
time to execute strategy for another client. Effective delegation can spread
the workload amongst people so that each is challenged in their own domain
and so that others can learn new skills and improve old ones. The whole outfit
benefits when everyone is doing what they do best.
6. Take Ownership
Whether it's that filing cabinet you're responsible for keeping in chronological
order and safe from natural disasters and epidemics, or a team of 6 bankers
that you are in charge of, taking ownership of your work is the first step
toward personal and professional satisfaction. If you think of yourself as
'owning' your little domain - sometimes as part of a team - you will take
special pride in your output and results. That feeling of 'ownership' will
boost your creativity as you look for new ways to indulge and improve your
professional terrain and the attitude will almost always communicate itself
to your boss and peers. Think of every professional task, no matter how small,
as a project worthy of your signature and make sure the quality of the work
you produce lives up to your name!
How to Optimize Your
Relationship with Your Boss
Make your relationship with your manager a winning one!
Your relationship with your boss can be a wellspring of growth possibilities
if nurtured properly or a career minefield if left to go sour. Maintaining
a good professional relationship with your manager can make all the difference
in the type and quality of projects that get sent your way, in your career
advancement, in your relationship with others in the firm and in your overall
reputation in the industry even after you leave the firm. Take the time to
work on this relationship and follow this simple checklist to keep you on
the right track.
1. Perfect Your Role
Your relationship with your manager will to a very large extent be determined
by your overall professional skills, attributes and success at the job you
are doing. A manager will take far more pride in the employee who constantly
produces quality work, meets deadlines and is pleasant to work with. Perfect
your job by knowing exactly what your manager's objectives for the position
are and then exceeding his expectations. Always aim to go the extra mile to
show that you are truly dedicated to the position and that you take your career
very seriously. This can include volunteering to help others when you have
time, taking on additional projects when you can afford to, cultivating unique
skills and coming up with new ideas to improve performance, win clients or
cut costs. Building a reputation for yourself as someone who does the job
extremely well, is professional, pleasant and always goes the extra mile will
reflect just as positively on your boss.
2. Communication
The importance of building an open dialogue with your manager cannot be overemphasized.
Maintaining an open channel of communication with your boss is one of the
key ingredients of a successful long-term relationship. The goal of these
communications is to build a professional rapport, gain visibility and ensure
an unhampered flow of information about the firm, the unit, your own performance
and any problems, concerns, issues, accomplishments on either side.
Invest in building an open channel of communication early on. Get your boss
accustomed to your wandering into his office for a chat or scheduling a meeting
for yourself in his diary on a periodic basis. Do not wait for him to schedule
these meetings! Do them often and as casually as you can so that your meetings
with him become a routine part of his day, week or month. This will ensure
you do not end up piling up grievances, complaints and unanswered questions
simply because you don't have the guts to face your boss or have never taken
the time to build an open dialogue. Always go to these meetings prepared.
Try to include the casual and comical occasionally in these meetings to break
the ice. Your boss will appreciate it if, in addition to your professional
issues, you keep him casually informed of what is going on in the firm at
your level, eg. the marketing unit ae going away on a brainstorming weekend,
the new temp appears to be running a business of her own from her desk, the
traders downstairs smashed a phone at the coffee machine the day before etc.
AVOID gossip; the goal of these meetings is not trivialties, it is to build
a comfort level and flow of career-related information that promotes your
PROFESSIONAL growth.
Learn to listen to your boss. Listening to your boss means understanding the
tone as well as the content. Make sure you really understand both your manager's
directions and where he is coming from. Ask questions if you don't. Your boss
will generally set the objectives and vision for the unit and you will only
understand his philosophy and general business style if you really listen.
Learn to cope with constructive criticism. Some bosses are psychological bullies
and criticism from such manager types is far more difficult to take. However,
most managers dole out criticism with the territory and you should be prepared
to handle the criticism in a professional manner and learn from it. Constructive
criticism should be used as a means to steer your professional development
and should help you avoid career pitfalls.
3. Manage His Expectations
Once you have a good grip on the job requirements and have a solid relationship
with your boss in place that is built on trust and mutual respect, you can
begin to manage your boss's expectations regarding the quality and quantity
of your work. This is an essential damage-control tactic if you are to avoid
many of the pitfalls that are essentially the result of poor assertiveness
skills. Learn to tell your manager that you are overburdened (only when you
are of course). Use words like 'we need an additional resource', 'I have to
prioritize', 'I have a more urgent deadline', ' I don't want to compromise
the quality of the project' to communicate your own time schedule and your
existing workload. Always have a list ready of projects you are engaged in
and their priority so your manager can more easily plan the projects he sends
your way. You should focus on being 'productive' rather than merely 'busy'
so your manager learns to respect your prioritization skills and general work
aptitude.
4. Reverse Feedback
Your boss has a boss and deadlines too, so learn to make his life a bit easier
by sending some reverse positive feedback his way when you can. Avoid the
false superficial kind of schmoozing but DO compliment or thank your boss
whenever you can - on something he taught you, a course he sent you to, a
project he sent your way, a project he didn't send your way, a tip he gave
you or some other form of constructive criticism he made, a resource he assigned
you, a deal he landed, a client he made happy, a new idea, a presentation
he made etc. He will appreciate the flattery if it is genuine and delivered
professionally. He will also be more inclined to help you in the future if
you are appreciative of the steps he takes to guide and promote you.
Maximize your Marketability
Maximize your growth and earning potential by using these effective career management tactics.
The job search should be viewed as a lifelong process that does not end with
interviewing for and securing a new position. Successful career management
involves treating your career as a continuum of opportunities for growth and
advancement and constructing a framework for creating, exploring and exploiting
these opportunities. Plan for a stellar long-term career by following these
simple guidelines for staying 'marketable':
1. Maintain a long-term vision and take control.
Always plan ahead and make sure it is you at the steering wheel of your career.
Do not let a job in Marketing dwindle to a position in graphics for example,
because of missed opportunities, poor assertiveness skills and lack of direction.
Take on projects and assignments that lead you further along your chosen route
and try to veer away from others that do not promote your growth and advancement
whenever it is possible. Your career should be a learning path and you should
always steer towards the track that involves new learning and growth opportunities.
2. Build relationships both in and outside of your firm.
Get to know people in your chosen profession and make networking both within
and outside of your firm part of your job description. The more connected
you are with others in the profession, the easier it will be to secure a new
position. Follow up with the people you meet on a regular basis and exchange
information on your respective businesses as well as on your professional
development eg, projects you are involved in, courses you have taken, deals
you have landed etc. A close network of friends and/or professional associates
is an invaluable career management resource.
3. Research your industry thoroughly.
Learn about competitors and new areas, products and innovations in the industry.
Know who the players are and keep abreast of what direction the industry and
the different players are moving in. The more you know about your domain,
the more valuable you are to your present employer and the easier it is for
you to market yourself to a different company.
4. Update your skills and develop new unique skills.
Some skills are always in more demand than others and successful research
will identify what areas to focus on to make you most marketable in your chosen
field. Whether it be taking a course in computer programming or soft skills
training, aim to continuously enhance your skills and further your education.
Plan on taking evening courses, attending seminars and maybe even getting
a further degree part-time to stay ahead of the game.
5. Join professional associations.
These look great on your CV and are a great way to network with others, gain
visibility and keep abreast of the changes in your industry. Your boss will
be very pleased if you are aware of developments in your industry and if you
are making a reputation for yourself that reflects positively on the firm.
Try to speak at these meetings if you can.
6. Read the trade journals and industry literature.
There is no substitute for reading the trade literature to stay abreast of
new developments and remain competitive. Always communicate the relevant material
to your manager so he is aware of your efforts to keep ahead of the curve
and also so that you can incorporate them into your unit's gameplan.
Winning techniques to alleviate stress on and off the job.
Is work stressing you out? Has stress become a routine part of your life? That needn't be the case. E-LIBRARY has identified some effective stress-busting techniques which incorporated into your routine should enhance your emotional well-being and improve your performance both on and off the job!
Breathing Exercises
One way in which stress often manifests itself is in feelings of panic which
in turn result in disrupted breathing patterns. You may feel like you simply
can't get enough air and that your breathing is very shallow. If you are having
breathing difficulties, remedial action is definitely in order.
Yoga is an excellent way to regain a feeling of balance and control and regulate
your body and emotions. Many yoga techniques in addition to generating an
overall feeling of peace and relaxation also tone the body and add to its
flexibility. Some yoga classes actually provide quite a robust work-out. There
are many yoga techniques so enjoy experimenting with different ones until
you find the one that really works for you.
Meditation and simple breathing exercises you can do from your desk can also
help. Effective meditation can clear your mind and allow you to enter a realm
of profound relaxation where your body and heart can begin healing from the
adverse effects of stress.
Set aside a special time and place either at home or in the privacy of your
office. Clear your mind of all its worries, imagine your mind is a clean white
slate and focus on a warm bright light (or object) and breathing slowly and
deeply in and out in regular counts of 5. In the midst of panic attacks, lying
down on the floor and placing your hands on your stomach as you breathe in
and out at regular counts also helps you regulate your breathing as you feel
your stomach expand and contract every time you inhale/ exhale.
Remember, many people react to stressful situations by holding their breath
which adds to that feeling of heightened stress and discomfort as their body
tries to come to terms with its diminished oxygen supply. That feeling that
you simply can't get in enough air may be a signal that you are actually breathing
in too much air in panic and forgetting to exhale.
Diet
Is your diet rich in all the wrong things? Do you pile up on the sugar for
energy in the mornings and spend the rest of the day fighting sugar withdrawal
symptoms which can include feelings of depression and general heightened anxiety?
Do you drink too much coffee and end up with more 'buzz' than you can possibly
channel in a positive direction? Are you malnourished because of a general
fashionable preoccupation with being thin and as a result feeling weak, lethargic
and drained? Or maybe you're overeating and ending up feeling slow and unhappy
with yourself?
A balanced diet is your first step to general physical and emotional health.
No amount of stressbuster techniques can make up for a diet lacking in essential
requirements. Emotional health is often symptomatic of underlying physical
problems so make sure you start out by treating your body right and giving
it the nutrients vitamins and minerals it deserves. Aim to drink 8 glasses
of water a day to help detox your body and keep the circulation going.
Exercise
Another way to treat your body right and vastly improve your emotional well-being
is physical exercise. Exercise helps you look and feel young and full of energy!
Try to incorporate regular exercise at least twice a week into your routine.
There are so many types of exercise out there that being 'unathletic' is no
excuse! For those who don't like to rollerblade or jog or do pump aerobics,
a brisk 45 minute walk can do wonders as can skipping rope, a low-impact toning
class or a wonderful revitalising swim.
Formulate
an exercise plan that works for you and vary it to keep it interesting. The
emotional high you get from exercising is immediate and for most moderately
strenuous aerobic or muscle-building programs, you should start to notice
physical results too after about three weeks providing you stick to a healthy
diet and a regular exercise routine of three times a week.
Aromatherapy
After a long day's work in a highly stressful environment, if you are too
drained to do anything at all, aromatherapy may be just what the doctor ordered
to rejuvenate and unwind. Aromatherapy involves using the sense of smell to
heal and restore physical and mental harmony. Essential oils for aromatherapy
are generally available in cosmetic as well as health food stores. Essential
oils based candles, soaps and bath salts can also do the trick.
One of the most common and well-known healing oils is lavender which is well-known
for its soothing and relaxing qualities as well as its antiseptic abilities.
Other relaxing oils include cinnamon, lemon balm and geranium. For general
mood enhancement, chamomile, clearly sage, marjoram and rosemary are very
effective. Thyme, peppermint, frankinsence and citrus scents such as orange,
lemon and grapefruit can also act as stimulants. Ginger, sandalwood and jasmine
are known to have aphrodisiac qualities.
Talk Therapy
This really works. Find someone to talk to about your work problems and stresses.
This will help you see things in more perspective and even if the person isn't
able to provide constructive advice, you will benefit from an objective party's
viewpoint on the situation.
You can talk to a professional for really effective advice - either a career
counselor or a psychologist or a veteran in the industry. Professional talk
therapy can be remarkably effective in helping you see and shed bad habits
or thinking patterns and resume a positive direction in your life. Alternatively,
a friend or family member who will not provide unwarranted criticism and impose
their own needs can be an effective sounding board. Ideally, try to a mentor
who will be a good sounding board as well as a source of wisdom and strength.
Music
Much has been written about the advantages of music in soothing and calming
the nerves. Classical music has been found to have positive effects even with
newborn babies and toddlers.
Experiment with different types of classical music to find something that
works for you. You may prefer to unwind with Italian opera music, German piano
concertos, a Tchaikovsky ballet or some Chopin and Mozart Waltzes. Visualize
the music and let your mind completely wander off with the notes as your daily
worries slip away.
Classical music is not the only way to unwind. Arabic or any local music,
slow pop music, jazz or a top-of-the-charts album can be just as effective
for many. Whatever the music type you enjoy, try to lose yourself in the rhythm
and really let your worries slip away for the duration.
Creative Endeavours
Does your job leaving you feeling bored and unfulfilled? It may be your creative
impulses that are not being stimulated. Oftentimes, taking up a creative endeavour
can do wonders to channel your negative vibes and giving you a sense of fulfillment
and centredness.
Writing in a journal, writing fiction, drawing, sculpture, baking, experimenting
with cooking techniques, decorating, arts and crafts for the home, music,
photography are all means to channel and challenge your creative impulse.
Remember, the goal is not to replicate Rembrandt or Wagner, you are merely
venting artistic energy and trying to make the art that makes you happy.
Hobbies
Take up a hobby that will add a new dimension to your life and allow you to
feel a sense of accomplishment and joy quite distinct from your professional
life. Find something you really enjoy or have always wanted to do or learn.
Remember, you are never too old to start something new.
For some, a class in oil painting or pottery may be just the outlet they need
for their creative impulses after a long day in a staid job. Others may require
a hobby that stimulates their intellect such as an archaeology or chess club
or a language class. Exercise is always a good thing to add to your hobby
list whether it be fencing, kickboxing, swimming, joining a football club,
squash, tennis or whatever. Sewing, stamp collection or art appreciation clubs
provide a tranquil setting for the release of your daily frustrations.
There are many many options for hobbies to pursue and you are bound to find
at least one that interests you and s logistically feasible. Make the time
to pursue your hobby and make sure your hobby makes you happy and fulfilled.
Holidays
Needless to say, a holiday does wonders for your emotional health. While most
of us would love an exotic getaway to our location of choice, holidays need
not entail a suitcase, an airline ticket and a huge expenditure. After a really
stressful month, checking into that delightful 5 star hotel down the road
for the weekend may take all the energy and time you can muster and may be
just as effective!
Stress-busting holidays the E-LIBRARY team have noticed nearby
include very cost-effective yoga weeks in exotic rural locations in Asia,
roughing it in shacks on the riverbanks in Thailand and desert treks where
you can camp among the dunes and experience a different face of nature. In
addition there is the usual assortment of sinfully delicious European spas
which are not too far to enjoy and are almost guaranteed to make you come
back as sharp, shapely and polished as a gem.
Recommended reading for different stages of your job-hunt/career.
Career Planning
2000 What Color is Your Parachute, Richard Nelson Bolles
I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was, Barbara Sher, Barbara Smith
CV & Letter Writing
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume, Susan Ireland
101 Great Resumes, Career Press
175 High Impact Cover Letters, Richard H. Beatty
Interview Skills
The Interview Rehearsal Book: 7 Steps to Job-Winning Interviews Using Acting
Skills You Never Knew You Had, Deb Gottesman, Buzz Maurio
The Complete Q& A Job Interview Book, Jeffrey Allen
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Interview, Marc A. Dorio, William
Myers
The Medical Interview: Mastering Skills for Clinical Practice, John L. Coulehan
Career Success
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey
Working With Emotional Intelligence, Daniel P. Goleman
How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
The Accidental Salesperson: How to Take Control of Your Sales Career and Earn
the Respect and Income you Deserve, Chris Lytle
Beyond Performance: What Employees Really Need to Know to Climb the Success
Ladder, Roland D. Nolen
Career Smarts: 201 Guiding Principles from the World's Best and Brightest,
Russell Wild
Becoming a Manager: Mastery of a New Identity, Linda A. Hill
Good Luck! (TOP)
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E-LIBRARY's guide to vaulting up the career ladder.
