7 Tips on Climbing the Company Ladder in 2020
In any field of work, you have two choices when it comes to your approach. You can either stay in one place and await retirement or view your career as an opportunity for professional and personal growth. It goes without saying that the latter contributes to a far more satisfying and meaningful life than the former.
It’s also a great way to realise your dream of leading a business. Not everyone has the time and resources to establish their own organization, especially in this day and age. Climbing the ladder in your own company, therefore, is a considerable alternative.
Many professionals make the mistake of believing they can achieve this by showing up to work and waiting for someone to notice. This passive approach is no way forward. Instead, you should actively make an effort to advance your career by making use of tried-and-tested methods. The following are 7 tips on climbing the company ladder in 2020.
Seek Mentorship
An experienced professional who has already achieved your goals and made the mistakes you’re yet to make (and thus learned their lessons) is an invaluable asset. A mentor can help you refine your approach and identify unseen areas for improvement. Moreover, they can provide encouragement and keep you going.
Mentors also tend to be well-connected. This can make them helpful when it comes to networking. Granted, finding someone like this isn’t always easy. One solution is to spend more time fostering relationships with high-ranking members in your company. Show genuine interest in what they do and express your need for someone of their calibre.
Take on More Responsibilities
In this day and age, we often put a great emphasis on comfort and seek it in everything we do.
After all, what’s better than a job where you can just idly sit at the desk and occasionally push a few papers around? Well, rest-assured no manager is going to consider you for a promotion if you’re barely capable of doing your current job, never mind being able to take on new and greater responsibilities.
This is why you need to actively go above and beyond in what you do. Your relationship with discomfort should be a positive one where you constantly seek it. Not only should you thoroughly tackle each task; you should also find ways to do it better. Offer help in departments outside of your own and be the first to take on additional work offers.
Speak Up
When you’re in a large meeting with intimidating higher-ups just a few chairs away, it’s easy to just sit tight and listen. But professionals who climb the ladder don’t wait for an invitation to speak; instead, they make sure that everyone (especially those who need to hear it) is aware that they have something to contribute.
Never Stop Learning
Another common mistake is to believe that education stops at the same time as formal schooling. This couldn’t be further from the truth. More often than not, the position above yours requires a greater amount of knowledge when it comes to certain aspects of the job.
Perhaps you need to know how to use advanced software. Maybe your management and persuasion skills have to be at a certain level. In any case, you need to invest your time in lifelong learning. This term describes the process of self-initiated education that continues well into your adult life and contributes to your personal development.
There are many ways to do this. You can perform research on the internet, for example, which today is home to a wealth of information on just about any topic. Attending an online program is an even better option. Not only will you learn what is relevant to your career path, but also obtain tangible proof of it in the form of a certificate.
As you continue to move up, you can obtain esteemed degrees that increase your eligibility for high-ranking positions. This includes masters and doctorate degrees related to business. Aston University has a great post detailing everything you need to know about these programs.
Move to a Startup
Depending on the availability of job opportunities for someone of your experience and education, your career advancement prospects might not be limited to the company you currently work for. Perhaps there are nearby startups looking for your expertise. In that case, it’s worth considering taking your skills there instead.
This is because there’s no faster way to accelerate your career than by working at a flourishing startup. These types of companies are hungry for new talent and will throw everything they have at you to keep you on your toes. So, if you’re looking for a rapid way up, moving to a startup is one way to do it.
Solve Problems
Being seen as the one who always finds unseen solutions to the company’s biggest problems is a sure-fire way to become a candidate for advancement. It doesn’t have to be something major in the beginning; perhaps you’ve identified a way to streamline orders and make the system more efficient. Maybe you can save the office money with better and more affordable equipment. Every effort counts.
Look the Part
There’s something to be said about emulating those who are where you want to be. In doing so, you appear more relatable to them and thus more qualified to take on the same responsibilities. It might also be a way of standing out from the crowd and showing that you’re worth more than your position would suggest.
With this in mind, pay attention to the way higher-ups dress and try incorporating their style into your own attire. Just as important is the way they carry themselves and interact with others, as well as how they approach their work. Doing the same or even doing it better will get you noticed.
Keeping the above in mind will help you make leaps and bounds in your professional development. In addition, you’ll outshine your co-workers and take on career advancement opportunities at an unprecedented pace. That is, if you make the effort – so get started today.
