5 Tips for Moving Up the Corporate Ladder - CareerAlley

5 Tips for Moving Up the Corporate Ladder - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Most of us would like to climb the corporate ladder. Often it can seem impossible to move up just one rung, but when you understand how to play by the rules you can find yourself at the top faster than you imagined. It takes some determination, but in the end you will be glad that you paid attention to the finer details. Dress to Impress The dress code in todays workforce is dramatically more casual than it was even ten years ago. That being said, even if your company allows casual dress, people will still judge you by your appearance. Whether people say they do or do not, generally this is true. It is hardwired into humans to be pulled toward the more attractive members of the species. This can be influenced by how you are groomed and the clothing you wear. Hair should be kept neat and in a professional style, facial piercings taken out if possible, and clothing immaculate. Clothing makes the woman or man. It does not take long to iron work clothing and even wrinkle free clothing can benefit from being pressed. When you look good and wear proper attire it lets your superiors know that you are serious in how you present yourself and that you take your career seriously. Finish What You Start It can be tempting to put off work until the last minute. Life has a way of creeping up on us and even the hardest working individuals will have personal obligations that happen at the worst times. While these personal problems may affect your job, how you manage them is up to you. Even if you are late with a project, finish it and turn it in to your boss. A late project may end up rejected, but working until you finish something, no matter what, will show you take your job seriously. Leaving any job unfinished due to frustration or passing it off to another employee shows that you are unreliable. To get that promotion you must always complete your work, preferably on time. If you cant finish on time, stay late, get in early or consider spending a few hours on the weekend to catchup. Take Initiative We all get paid to complete our responsibilities, but in order to get ahead you need to take that extra step. If you work in a team, take initiative with projects. If you work independently, look additional tasks or projects that you can take on. Learn to offer your advice or put forward your ideas. You know how to get the job done, do so and impress not only your boss, but your co-workers. People like leaders, especially those that take the time to teach them something new. You may have a new approach on an old project or technique. Show your boss and your co-workers how to change the methods used to the new one youve thought of. Your initiative will show that youre worthy of promotion. Praise Your Co-Workers While it can seem really insincere to praise co-workers or superiors to their face, doing so to others will seem more sincere. You want the people you are praising to hear about your words, but not in an overt manner. Make sure you say positive things about the people you work with to others who will probably mention it to them. Use discretion and speak wisely. Play By the Rules Lastly, always stick to the rules of your employer. This means to behave according to the rules of conduct. We all know of people that like to be office clowns or smart alecks that make work either fun or unbearable. Avoid being that type of co-worker. Behave in a professional, yet friendly manner. Be the person that co-workers enjoy seeing. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+