Introduction
It is the dream of every corporate employee to move ahead into top management positions within a short period of time. These higher positions offer more money, more prestige, and hence, higher socio-economic status. They give more control over one's schedule and workloads. These higher positions resemble a ladder through which one reaches the top. Hence, the term "corporate ladder" was invented. Every higher position becomes a step on that ladder. Your odds of reaching the top depend on the number of your competitors and the advantages and disadvantages of each job you are eyeing. Moreover, it depends on how well you market yourself and your assets to those who can give you the opportunity.
If you look closer, the corporate companies are divided into several zones. Entry-level jobs are where there is the most stress and heavy work. Over them, the managerial jobs offer small relief with more money and prestige. The topmost management jobs are dominated by a small group of elites that are loyal to each other. This is the place where every employee wants to be. This is where the acclaimed CEO, Director, and VPs are now. In between these two zones, is the buffer zone, where the future stars and talents of the company are. This is a safe and promising place, as the positions in the buffer zone offer more power and control, along with other perks and benefits. Moreover, these positions offer access to the top management network and thereby increase your chances of realising your dreams.
Here are 10 ways to fly through the Corporate Ladder.
You can move into higher levels with ease if you know what you are doing and how you are going to achieve it. You will notice that the higher you look into the management structure, the fewer positions there are to fill. It means that there will be more competition at every level of management. Marketing/positioning yourself differently will make all the difference.
Set goals
Professionals with written goals are 42% more likely to achieve them than those without written goals (Source: Dr Gail Matthews, Dominican University, California - Inc). Setting reasonable goals is a critical step to moving ahead in your career. If you don't know where you are going, how will you get there? Choose the industry you really want to work for and set both short-term and long-term career goals. Keeping track of your progress will help you to refine your strengths and weaknesses. While choosing any new job, research the position and industry. Recognise if the job can get you where you want to be.
Above all, remember to learn and have fun with the work you do. Without something to learn or a fun element, work becomes a stressful routine. It harms your mental and physical health. This is why choosing and applying only for the right jobs is the right thing to do. The right jobs must be personally fulfilling and interesting for you to work 50+ hours a week.
Goal setting can be useful in many ways. They keep you motivated and give you a sense of direction during times of confusion. Use scientific methods like SWOT analysis to understand your current role, room for growth, and the future inside and outside your company. Recognise future opportunities and actively prepare yourself for them. Identify key skills you will need for your next job and work on refining them. All of these can be achieved with properly researched and written goals at your service.
Get to know your company culture and management styles
Every company has its own work culture and management style. Learn about your company's office culture by observing your colleagues or asking them directly. Small things like dress codes, morning and evening routines, and office behaviour can make a huge difference in how you are perceived within the company. Get to know your boss and higher officials; this can open networking opportunities for you.
If you are in an MNC, chances are there are dramatic differences between management styles in each department and at each level. For example, if your management is American, your senior management might be Japanese. Both have different approaches to getting things done. You have to understand both management styles and adjust your work accordingly to reap the benefits.
Find a mentor
According to a study by the Olivet Nazarene University, 76% of people thought mentors are important but only 37% of people had one currently. The survey was conducted with 3000 professionals (Source: Forbes). Mentors are the most underrated yet highly efficient assets in the corporate world. Mentors give you advice and open networks and opportunities that were previously not accessible to you.
Scan your current family, friends, colleagues, higher officials, and acquaintances to identify potential mentors. Senior officials from your current or previous company, previous academic referrers, or successful family elders that know the corporate world can be the ideal mentors for a senior manager. Having a guide who has made mistakes and learnt a great deal about life will benefit the mentee in making critical decisions. Moreover, mentors can also guide you through other aspects of life apart from your career.
Network
70% of jobs are never published publicly and filled through networking (Source: CNBC). Treat networking as a pillar in your career. Always be open to new business relationships and networking opportunities. According to LinkedIn, 70% of the 2016 hires had a connection at their company. Ask your colleagues or senior officials to introduce you to someone you want to meet. Attend office parties, trips, and events to meet new senior officials. In the meantime, make valuable connections with your subordinates and junior professionals. Along with making new connections, maintain your current network with regular meetings, emails, texts, and events.
Online platforms have become a new networking medium with transformative power. The world has literally shrunk with the advent of online networking. This is creating networking opportunities from around the world. As Multinational companies have management officials from different countries, it is easier for you to connect with them online. You don't have to wait years to meet your regional manager anymore. You don't have to jump on a plane and travel a hundred miles for a connection. Going online can do that for you.
Use online networking platforms like LinkedIn to their full potential. Use them to connect with new people and show off your skills and abilities.
Strive to build a social media following. Social media has the potential to make a difference in how you market yourself in the corporate world. Choose only a couple of platforms carefully, as this will help you overcome procrastination and a feeling of overwhelming responsibility.
Having a personal blog or website can dramatically increase your visibility and authenticity.
Build your reputation
Wherever you go, whatever job you take on, build a reputation for yourself by being assertive, punctual, kind, hardworking, and easy to work with. Become known for your values.
Work hard
Take your work seriously. Learn your work requirements from the inside out. Work harder than your colleagues. However, don't always choose the bumpy road ahead. With the advent of the internet and technology, there is a multitude of tools and techniques at your disposal that can make your job a little easier, faster, and smoother. Explore automation, artificial intelligence, and new IT solutions related to your work. Choosing such smart work along with hard work will pay off.
Always optimise your job and strive for mastery in all that you do. Having a reputation for being the hardest working professional will help you with recommendations and promotions. If your reputation and name go before you, then you can grab the opportunity even before knocking on the door. Hence, personal branding can get you where you want to be.
Understand the industry
Getting a job with a salary doesn't mean you should only do what is assigned to you and ignore everything else. Get to know how your industry works at every level. Research online and offline. In-depth knowledge of your industry will give you an added advantage over others who just stick to their jobs. It gives you insights that can transform your job. It fuels your passion for your work. Take pride in what problems your company is solving, and how your company is making the world a better place. This will give you a positive attitude towards your work. And a positive attitude has tremendous power over success.
Become an asset to your company
Multinational companies view individuals with higher education as more "job-ready" than those who lack graduation or post-graduation. Do yourself a favour and enrol for a Masters Degree, if not, a PhD. Tertiary education gives more economic returns than primary and secondary education. According to the World Bank, tertiary education increases earnings by up to 17%. This will give you more prestige and authenticity and put all your experience and skills into the right spotlight. These degree programs will teach you all about your industry.
If full-time college is not an option for you, there are many online degree providers across the world. If you want a reputed UK Masters Degree within a year, SNATIKA will be your best option. Even if you have completed your post-graduation, it is good to have prestigious certificates that will teach you new skills and show off your skills. SNATIKA offers short-term Awards, certificates, and diplomas through their world-class online platform at a reasonable price.
Keep a list of critical skills necessary for your current job and your dream job. Work on these skills in your free time. For example, if you know public speaking can land you a senior role in your company, then take an online course on public speaking. Balance both soft and hard skills, as both are critical in the corporate world. However, don't shy away from other skills that you think might be irrelevant to your industry. Programming will be a critical skill in the future. As younger generations are learning to code in kindergartens, senior professionals must gain basic programming skills. This will be resourceful in your future projects.
Dealing with difficult people and situations
Dealing with difficult situations and people is a critical but underrated skill. There will come times when you will be faced with such situations. Learn to not give in to pressure or emotions. Try to solve problems as smoothly as possible. As senior management does not want trouble in their office environment, those who can give it to them have an added advantage over others.
About 3 in 4 rate teamwork and collaboration as "very important" (Source: Queens.edu). Also, 86% of employees and executives cite a lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures (Source: Salesforce). Teamwork is the foundation of corporations. Always be cooperative, positive, and available. Never be critical unless doing so is required. Top management likes those who can solve trouble and deviance. Being a reliable problem-solver will dramatically increase your reputation in the upper management circle. Also, the digital age has provided companies with many collaboration tools. Learning and leveraging these can make a difference in your teamwork and communication skills.
Say No
You will be treated the same way you treat yourself. Set healthy boundaries for how much you are willing to help others. Know your priorities before promising others. Saying no to the wrong opportunities is saying yes to the right opportunities. Be kind and assertive when doing so. Never burn bridges while switching jobs, as the network will always be a precious asset.
Never be afraid to ask for something that you need. A salary raise, a promotion, an insight, an introduction, a pathway towards higher management roles - if you ask, you will always get what you are looking for.
Dress
Use your dressing style to leave a signature in the room. Look at how your senior officials are dressing for the office. Based on that, choose your dress wisely. Never imitate your colleagues unless specific dress codes are enacted by the company.
Learn and Change jobs
Learning all about your role gives you a critical advantage. Optimise everything you do. Recognise the skills and knowledge that you are lacking and commit to learning. Watch videos, read books and ask your mentor, and you will quickly learn these skills.
However, the learning curve for most jobs gets flattened as you get wiser and more experienced in that role. You will reach a time where your job role offers no more learning experience and becomes just a routine. You will know you are doing your best in everything you do. This is the time to ask for a promotion or search for a better opportunity.
If you want to climb the corporate ladder faster, you will have to change jobs often, each time going somewhere better than the previous place. Company loyalty is a long-gone method for achieving success. Often, it takes a long time to get to the senior management level through promotions. Office politics, glass ceilings, unhealthy competition, and favouritism, can all hinder you from achieving your dreams. If that is the case with your company, changing jobs will be the best solution.
Changing careers and working in different industries gives you a larger worldview and insight that none of your colleagues ever dream of. It also helps to put together a wider and more diverse network with diverse resources. If you tick all the other boxes, a diverse career background will be your greatest asset.
Conclusion
Moving up in the corporate world takes skills, mastery, education, and networking. But none of these will hinder you as much as your lack of self-confidence. You can always find a good spot and settle there until your retirement. But moving up the ladder takes ambition, perseverance, and problem-solving skills. Most of the time the problem lies within ourselves like a lack of academic qualification. If that is the case, SNATIKA's Online Masters Degree programs can be your relief. Check out our programs which are specifically designed for senior professionals like you.
Remember that after hitting a certain income range and position, money and prestige will not bring happiness anymore. So, work on yourself right now and reap the benefits when you have the motivation to move ahead.