Career Marketing

Steering a Career Path

Know the ropes

Different companies have different images (e.g. go-ahead or conservative), and different policies (e.g. bring in fresh blood or promote from within) . It is therefore important to really know your company, and also to know what really impresses your own boss. Note that promotion may be to a dead end or on a divergent path to your goal.

Sources of information

The formal orientation when you joined, walls, bulletin boards, literature displayed in receptions, policy manuals, lunches, social activities, reactions of management to staff suggestions, mission statements, newsletters, company videos, observation of who gets promoted, the percentage of jobs filled by internal advertisement and promotion, the quality of your company's products and services, training programs

Become indispensable

Create a niche for yourself. Try to be in demand when re-organisation occurs. But beware cul-de-sacs.. Take the unwanted job, go the extra mile, work harder when unsupervised, get credit for your team, make your boss look good, handle contact with users, become a mentor, be aware of your boss's needs (give him/her credit where credit's due), know what's needed

Keys to promotion

Don't expect to go direct to your goal; careers zigzag. You can work to keep on course: become an expert, anticipate organisational change and get in there first; monitor your own performance and treat appraisals as an opportunity to tell your boss how well you've done; find out if your boss is ambitious or content; tell you boss of your ambitions but persuade him/her not to feel threatened

Office politics

There is an informal power structure to any company, as well as the formal hierarchy, based on personal relationships, and on the grapevine. Listen to the grapevine, so you can anticipate. A mentor may be able to help. Learn from your adversaries - would what works for them work for you? Lunch with a variety of people. Be considerate of secretaries, typists, etc. and give praise where praise is due. Be aware of body language. Be come an expert on the formal policies and goals of your company. Volunteer for committees. Fit in. Remember that politics is no substitute for doing a good job.