How to Get Ahead in Business: 3 Tips to Help You Score a Raise or Promotion

Maura Schreier-Fleming
Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:13:20 +0000
Hr, Staffing, Career, Getting-a-raise, Getting-a-promotion, Getting-ahead

Let's talk about your next raise and what it takes to be successful in business. There are actually a few things you can do to be a stand-out employee that will make it easier for you to get ahead in business.

3 ways to get ahead in business

1. Assume innocence as a long-term strategy

There will be times when your manager, a peer, or a customer make you angry. Some people respond immediately and go into attack mode. That’s a huge mistake! When someone attacks you, blames you, or does something that you perceive as a slight, your first response should be a thoughtful one. Do not write an immediate, hasty email! I can promise you that nothing good will come from that misguided response.

Instead, assume innocence when you are faced with an emotional situation. Do not blame the other person. Ask questions to clarify statements that were made. Begin your reply by showing that you understand the situation: “I understand that you are angry about the order delay.” Continue with a question: "Did you receive the delay notice asking for your comment?” or state what you plan to do about the problem: “I’ll be following up immediately to be sure this doesn’t happen again and will get the order to you as soon as possible.”

If there is something wrong with the other person's actions, do not immediately accuse them. Instead, ask for clarification. You don’t want to initiate accusations at work. Managers remember the people who are pleasant to work with and the ones who are not. They don't want to work with or promote angry people.

2. Watch your attitude to get ahead in business

If you take the time to look, I'm sure you can find at least 10 things wrong with other people's actions or with situations, and you could complain about them. This is a waste of time. People who are seen as constant complainers are the last ones managers want to promote.

I worked with one such complainer. Every company policy was flawed in his opinion and he voiced his negative opinions at every opportunity. Once at a Christmas party, he started his typical complaining about the company. The boss’s wife immediately put her hand out to indicate “stop.” She then said, “Jim, you’re going to have to stop. I’m not taking any complaints today.” He had nothing more to say. He was reassigned shortly after the party to a remote sales location far, far away from the home office. He was forgotten by management so he never got on the list of promotable employees.

3. Write your own annual review

A manager will recommend top performers based on their understanding of the work that their subordinates do. However, the problem is that your manager can’t know about all your accomplishments during the year. That means you won’t have every advantage when management identifies the top performers. Here is how you can ensure you get credit for all your accomplishments: you write your own employee review.

Make a file where you gather your accomplishments during the year. You will forget your achievements unless you document your work on an ongoing basis. For instance, any time a customer thanks you for what you’ve done, you can either ask them to write you a quick note that you include in your “review” file, or simply document what the customer said, the work you did, and the date.

Some companies have forms they fill out for annual reviews. Offer to write yours. If not, provide your boss with relevant information for each of the review categories so that you'll get credit for your accomplishments.

Getting ahead in business is up to you

In the business world, you're going to compete with a lot of people who want to get ahead. However, you can stand out by avoiding common mistakes and making sure to get credit for all the good work you do.