In this economy, many professionals are hesitant to take risks and make big career moves… so why not work to get promoted in your own organization?

Listed are helpful tips to making that happen and to “bloom where you are planted”

  • Keep an open mind; don’t look at your role in the company as only what your position description says.
  • If an opportunity to do more presents itself, jump on it.  It could lead to more exposure and an expansion of your skill set, which eventually could lead to a promotion!
  • Get involved, with teams both in the work place and work related clubs.  The more people you know outside of your own department could lead to cross functional development.
  • Be proactive in making your boss and the department you work for, look good.   When you make your boss look good, that only reflects well upon you.  As a result, if your boss gets promoted, you could be next in line.
  • Help others within the organization. Mentor those who are more junior than you.  In addition to helping them further their careers within the organization, it makes you look good… and you never know where they will end up and be able to help you at some point in the future.
  • Be a team player, other members of your team will appreciate it and want to help you succeed.
  • Remember the ABC’s – Always be connecting with others.
  • Keep an attitude of “abundance”, look at things from a “win win” perspective  the better off the company is, the better off you are!
  • Avoid at all costs the “what’s in it for me” trap  people don’t like to work with those who are only out for themselves.
  • Above all  do your job, do it well and with passion and the rest tends to fall into place. (If it doesn’t, it might be time to use that network and find a new job!)

Mary Olson-Menzel mary@mvpexec.com Managing Partner of MVP Executive Search & Development, 20+ years of experience working in corporate America and executive search consulting. She specializes in senior level recruitment across digital, print, broadcast and cable media.

~ ASK THE EXPERTS ~
Questions from our Readers
Answered by Mary Olson-Menzel

If I don’t have a large professional/personal network, how much lower are my chances of getting a good job?
I cannot stress enough, the importance of a professional/personal network. It does not have to be large, but it needs to be high quality. Your network is a group of people who you can trust and who you know will help you out when you need it. Your network is built on common interests (professional or personal) and made up of people that you would go out of your way to help or vice versa.

This quality network should be made up of people that you know well and would be happy to refer to others. Of course, its great to have a large network, but a large network means nothing if the quality of the relationships is not there.

Are signing bonuses always broached by the employer? Is there an acceptable way for someone who has been offered a job to bring up the possibility of a signing bonus? Is there a ratio of salary to signing bonus that is considered the industry norm?

Ahhhh, signing bonuses… gone are the days when signing bonuses were the norm. In a day when most companies are cutting back and “doing more with less” – a signing bonus is actually just that, a bonus. Usually a signing bonus would be broached by the employer, but I have seen many cases where the signing bonus is an add on – a negotiation tactic, most common when the salary being offered is not as high as the expectations of the potential employee would like.

Employers will sometimes add on a small bonus to keep the new employee “whole”. Other negotiation tactics can come in the way of a relocation bonus, a promise of a six month review based on performance or extra vacation.

Posted on: Cynopsis Media