As a manager, I never understood how someone right out of college isn’t STARVING when they come to work for me. Maybe that’s because I so vividly remember what it was like at my first job. I worked at an ad agency and years before Mad Men became popular, I envisioned what it would be like working on Madison Avenue, chain smoking cigarettes and staying up until 2 a.m. to prepare for a client presentation. So, granted I worked at a boutique firm in south Florida, I still behaved like a hungry young account exec determined to land a big client so I could move up in the world. Here’s how I did it, working at a small company, and I can tell you the results led to a more than 100% salary less than five years later. So heed my advice and tailor your work ethic to:
1. Be the first one in, in the morning. Thought leaders like one of my inspirations, Penelope Trunk could disagree and even deem that early bird “too desperate” to catch the worm.” But people notice – not necessarily that you work the longest hours (because that’s not necessarily a good thing), but that you’re the most eager to get on the job in the morning.
2. Your network is your net worth. Would you rather be at home catching up on your DVR or reading the next three chapters in your latest book than going to a Young Professionals Networking Meeting? If the answer is yes, you probably deserve to hit the glass ceiling salary-wise. Network! Join your local professional networks, Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, the board of a charity near and dear to your heart. The leadership experience you will get will be priceless and beyond what you can get in the workplace, and you will quickly become “Jane, who works for XYZ Corp.”
3. Set the “corporate ladder” on fire. Don’t wait for your review to get a raise and get promoted. If you think you have put in the work, the time and the talent and it merits a raise, a promotion or both, say something. This is why I love working in a small company. Because if you’re ambitious, you’re probably still more ambitious than 80% of the people who work there. And shouldn’t hard work and ambition be rewarded? Be careful, because there’s a thin line between this realization and “entitlement,” so when you go to the big boss, make sure you bring with you a plan. Explain just what you’ve done over the past months to help build the company. Explain precisely what you wish your role to be and how you expect to be compensated for it. The maturity you demonstrate will win you points and hopefully a bigger role within your organization.
Photo by: Kitty136
