Will I Get Ahead?

Getting ahead at work is not just luck. Sure, if you work at Uncle Sal's Salad Shop and you're not related to Uncle Sal you may get passed over but for most businesses there are actions you can take to position yourself for advancement.

Take TheRossNetwork "Will I Get Ahead?" Quiz:

True or False

1. I shun the jobs that no one else wants to do
2. I avoid going to the boss to discuss potential, or real, problems
3. Senior level executives don't want to hear from a guy/gal on the front line
4. I usually arrive on time and stay until quitting time
5. I believe it is ok to have a unproductive day every once in a while
6. Having connections with higher level executives looks bad
7. I do my job!
8. I look for ways to save money in my department
9. I give credit where credit is due
10. I know my numbers - the metrics by which me, my team, my company are measured

Let's see how you did:

1. Hopefully you answered FALSE. It's true that you do not want to take a death sentence job but the higher ups like someone who will take on a tough challenge when no one else will. Can you spell i-n-i-t-i-a-t-i-v-e?
2. Please...anwser FALSE. Bosses hate suprises and if you let a problem fester until it gets out of hand and THEN you go to you boss expect to be in trouble. If you can be proactive and bring your problem - with a recommended solution - you're in much better shape
3. This one is FALSE. The adage of "the higher you go the less you know" is true. Senior level executives thirst for knowledge. Especially unfiltered, unspun knowledge that comes from the people doing the real work and who interact directly with customers. If you respect their time and get right to the point a Senior level exec will love to hear from you
4. Yep, this one is FALSE. Why? If you just do the minimum - expect the minimum. Getting to work on time and leaving on time is a good way to keep your job. But won't get you ahead.
5. This one was a lay up - FALSE. True winners don't have an unproductive day.
6. Also, FALSE. Having a connection higher up on the food chain is always a good thing. It's best to keep it businesslike to avoid the rumors of special treatment but if you can establish connections you may get an early notice of a position opening and a good reference.
7. Are you noticing a trend - FALSE. Why? You are SUPPOSED to do your job. To get ahead you have to show you are willing to step up and take on more responsibility.
8. This one is TRUE and FALSE. True because you should always look for ways to save your department money. But those who can save the COMPANY money are the real problem solvers.
9. This one is also TRUE and FALSE. It looks good to distribute the credit to all players who contributed to a success and you'll make more friends. Just make sure that if credit is due to you, take it. Humility is a great quality - just don't overdo it.
10. This one is TRUE. First, you should know how your company and department measures success and how, you specifically, are measured against those metrics. Once you do you can prove that you are delivering. Plus, 90% of people in your company won't have a clue which puts you in the Top 10% pretty easily. Come prepared to meetings with the latest metrics and always be ready to review your personal metrics with the higher ups.
    

If you answered:

9 - 10 correct. Great job Mr/Ms Future VP
7 - 8 correct. Pretty good - you're not that far off.
6 or less. You have some serious work to do. E-mail or call me and maybe I can help. You can also read my other posts:

20 Tips on Getting Ahead in Your Career

Take Initiative!