Three Things You Can Do to Increase the Likelihood You'll Snag that Promotion
Looking to move up in the world…or at least at work? If a promotion is on your radar, there are things you can do to get closer to making one a reality. If you believe you are deserving of a bump up – be it a higher salary, greater responsibility, a more prestigious job title, or increased job security, here are three surefire ways to increase the chances you won't get passed over for a well-deserved promotion. Your boss only wants the best, and you've got the goods to back it up!
Be Irreplaceable
There's only one YOU!laruno.com
Your position must be valuable and you need to do a great job at what you do. If any old "Joe Schmo" can come along and fill your shoes seamlessly, why would promoting you be beneficial? Stand out, show your worth, and be the one who cannot be swapped with someone similar. When you are irreplaceable, your employer will want to keep you around and give you credit for your special skills, leading to a promotion.
Monsterrecommends, "Be Indispensable. Whether it's inventing a new program that will save your firm money or becoming a client's go-to person, put your boss in a position where he can't afford to lose you."
One way to shine? LiveCareer says, "Create a powerful personal brand. What is it that you want people to conjure when they think of you? What is the experience you want them to have when they work with you? This is entirely within your control, so don't neglect it."
There is only one you, so prove you're #1.
Keep it Professional
Professionalism at its finests3.amazonaws.com
As perCNBC, "According to best-selling author and CNBC contributor Suzy Welch, to get ahead, you need to act professionally and come across as in control of your career."
Gossip, drama, and other types of non-professional/irresponsible behavior will keep you from getting further in your career. No matter the office environment or general atmosphere (even the most laid-back of settings), maintaining professionalism is always a good thing. Maturity and mindfulness is key to showing you are serious about your job and care about the well-being and success of the company.
As LiveCareer warns, "Nothing can derail someone's future with an organization faster than negative information — and being involved in gossip in any way is the fast path to the end of your career with your employer."
Career Builder suggests avoiding these "professional faux pas" at all costs:
- Regularly arriving to work late or leaving early
- Using vulgar language within the workplace
- Taking an excessive amount of sick days
And as far as remaining drama-free? The Muse explains, "Especially in an office environment, we have to work closely with different personalities and in less-than-ideal situations. Unless there's a real problem (read: you feel unsafe or can't complete your work), keep complaints to yourself."
Go Above and Beyond
Be committeds3.amazonaws.com
Clocking in and clocking out will score you a paycheck, but a promotion? Not likely. You need to prove you're a go-getter who is looking for more, by doing more.
As per Chameleon Resumes, "One of the biggest mistakes executives make is thinking they can just do what's expected of them and still get a promotion. You may not realize it but this is actually a form of arrogance. No one gets a promotion for just doing their job."
CNBC's Welch shares, "If you want to show your boss you're ready for that next step, then you're not just going to do what's asked of you and what's expected of you. You're going to expand your job to help the company [and] help your team."
LiveCareer recommends, "An excellent promotion tip is to volunteer for additional projects or assignments. Asking for more work demonstrates your interest and desire to help your department and company succeed — and puts a spotlight on your value to the organization."
Is a promotion in the cards? If you know you deserve one, make it known. Prove you're serious, smart, and strong and success can be yours by way of promotion. Good luck!
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.