When someone has been been promoted often enough, they know what it takes to advance a career. Marillyn Hewson, who is Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin shares from her experience in 5 Habits That Can Lead to a Promotion.
There are advantages to staying with a company and working your way up the ladder, but these habits will be good ones to develop no matter where you are working in the next decade or so. Here is what she looks for and encourages:
- Look for ways to solve problems on the job. Anticipating, identifying, and creatively addressing issues shows leadership potential. You can share your suggestions and let your boss decide what to do with them; even if your ideas go unused, your efforts will be noticed.
- Accept assignments that stretch you. Meeting those challenges gives you more opportunities.
- Keep track of your results. When there’s a hard number to point to, it should be on your resume. Recording the evidence of your efforts validates your work experience when applying for another position.
- Understand your company’s leadership values and look for ways to develop those qualities.
- Success is a team sport — every leader is part of a group that works together for a greater good. Work on making your workplace a better place to work and your efforts will be appreciated.
Marillyn Hewson speaks from her position as someone who has worked through many levels and positions at Lockheed Martin. She knows what your higher-ups are looking for. She says,
“Senior leaders spend a lot of their time focused on developing talent, building succession plans, and identifying who is ready to take on a leadership role. The success of an organization rides on doing this effectively. By practicing these five habits, you could be at top-of-mind when the next leadership position opens up.”
Do you ever feel like “Casual Friday” in the summer months is like looking at an artistic photo that’s supposed to mean something? The problem is, everyone interprets that meaning in a slightly different way. Business Casual is tricky anyway (the link is to all the blogs on this site that address the subject), but summer heat and vacation mode seem to make “casual” more important than “business” for a lot of us. The problem is that the wrong kind of casual keeps you from being taken seriously.
Break The Code In Your Workplace
It doesn’t really matter what anybody else says about how to dress in the workplace. Really. What matters to you is the written and unwritten dress code that is being used right now where you actually work. So start with the written code — ask for a copy of the official “how to dress for this workplace” dress code that Human Resources should have on paper.
Now take that paper home and pull out everything in your wardrobe that works within the guidelines. Some people even keep their work wardrobe separate from their non-work wardrobe so that mornings are easier on business days. Figure out a basic “work uniform” that will be the foundation of what you wear all the time. Many suggest switching out only one thing on casual days to lighten up the look but stay professional.
Having the written code down lets you evaluate the unwritten code you see around you at work. Notice who is showing a lot of skin, and who is wearing flip flops — what positions do these people hold? Unless you work at a scuba diving shop on the beach, it’s probably not your boss. Every company has a culture, and the clothes we wear reflect the culture. But every company also has a hierarchy and the clothes we wear send signals about where we see ourselves in that hierarchy.
If you want to break the code for your workplace, pay attention to what your supervisors and the higher-ups are wearing. You’ll start to see that those who are taken seriously at their job take their wardrobe — even summertime casual Fridays — seriously, too.
It’s easy to approach LinkedIn like it’s a professional version of Facebook, but that is not a good idea. Many professionals very carefully do not have any overlap at all between their Facebook and LinkedIn profiles but realize that somehow, somebody will figure out the connections so they are still careful online. In fact, that’s the first mistake you can make:
Common Mistakes Seen On LinkedIn
- Not monitoring the way your name and identity (brand) show up online keeps you from seeing when there’s a problem that needs to be addressed. Set up a Google Alert on all variations of your name and use a few search engines to see how you look to a potential employer who is researching your suitability for an opening.
- No profile picture, or an unprofessional profile picture make an impression all right, an impression that you don’t care about your career enough to use a suitable photograph.
- An incomplete profile reveals your failure in completing a task and triggers questions about how you’ll complete tasks on the job. It also shows you haven’t taken the time to learn how to effectively use the tools at your disposal.
- Not updating your status with recent accomplishments or authoritative content makes you look like nothing is happening.
- Thinking LinkedIn is only for job seekers and ignoring the network until you need a job keeps you from the real benefits of professional networking.
If you are at all serious about your career, you should be regularly paying attention to how to improve your LinkedIn capabilities. There’s been plenty of tips on this blog, and we even offer professional LinkedIn Profile Development if you decide you need that service. The professional networking you have on LinkedIn isn’t like any other type of social media, and it’s worth your time and effort to learn how to avoid making mistakes.
Chris Crum just wrote on the way LinkedIn looks at the ‘State of Student Recruiting’ and says, “there are over 39 million students and recent grads on LinkedIn, and thousands of companies waiting to recruit them.” Of course, there’s a nice infographic and lots of numbers with visual imagery to help you see what the majority of students are looking for in employment goals.
Not surprisingly, the top things that matter to the 18-30 year old category is work/life balance, compensation/benefits, and a strong career path. They are least interested in company vision, flexible work arrangements, and being valued by their employer. I think that if you did similar surveys in different age groups, they’d come up with different priorities because the things you look for in a job depend on what is happening in the rest of your life.
Flexible work arrangements, for instance, are prioritized by people who have responsibilities at home that cannot be delegated. Being valued by your employer starts looking big when you spend years at a job where your contributions are not appreciated. Company vision might not matter at the beginning of your career, but after a while you think about a bigger picture and where your values align. These things don’t necessarily overtake the work/life, compensation/benefit, career path priorities, but they might.
Job recruiters should target your priorities
If you are looking for a job with certain priorities in mind, working with a recruiter who is going on the majority vote can be frustrating. You are on different wavelengths and the recruiter will not be connecting you to the right jobs for you.
This is why Professional Resume Services does things differently with our Recruiter Resume Distributions. Our process targets your preferences and we match you to the recruiters who meet your requirements in industry, position, salary, etc. The database we use is consistently updated and capable of filtering to your unique parameters.
If LinkedIn has over 39 million students and recent grads competing for a job in thousands of companies waiting to recruit them, there’s a lot of stuff to wade through to find the job that has what you are looking for. Recruiters help narrow things down, but they will keep the majority’s goals in mind. We can connect you to the recruiter who will target your priorities.
LinkedIn’s popular “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” just added a new feature: “How You Rank”. It provides a lot more insight on the way you stack up in this essential network, and that’s good because it also provides suggestions for improving your ranking.
I sure hope you have a profile on LinkedIn because, if you don’t, you are missing out on the best way to network with potential employers, clients, colleagues…and all the rest of the professionals who have joined. Networking is important because the reason why strangers don’t get good jobs is measurable: 92% of recruiters and hiring managers said either “they knew the person or the person was referred by a co-worker or other trusted source. What’s even more interesting – and far more important – is that the primary decision to hire these people was on their actual ability to do the work and excel at it, not on some arbitrary list of skills and experiences.” (Lou Adler did this survey and explains it in the linked article.)
- So the research shows that people who are even vaguely familiar with you are more apt to see your value, and the “How You Rank” tool gives you a customized list of ways to improve your ranking.
- Improving your ranking means that more people are looking at your profile, which means that more people will be familiar with you.
- The more people, particularly professionals in your career field, that are familiar with you — the more apt you are to get a job when you apply.
The customized ways to improve your ranking are pretty important because this is LinkedIn telling you how to get higher rankings on LinkedIn. That means you should pay attention to their suggestions since they know the algorithms for the site. And I like how you can use the tool to track your networking progress and analyze the results. You can even look at the higher ranking people in your network and see how your profile and activity compares to theirs and get a few more ideas on improving yours.
If you want an even more individualized strategy for your LinkedIn enhancement, consider our LinkedIn Profile Development service. The “How You Rank” tool is good, but a professional evaluation that works with you to improve your online brand is better.
Did you ever think about what a potential employer is really looking for in all openings, no matter what the job description is?
Reliability.
No matter what that job description is, and on top of any skills listed as requirements, their foundational need is a worker who shows up on time consistently and does the job responsibly every time they are expected to do so. Sometimes an unforeseen crisis may prevent a perfect attendance record, but an employee who is reliable is a better investment than hiring a brilliant whiz kid who doesn’t show up or goofs off most days.
This need for reliability is why references are so important. Your references are people who testify to the way you are to work with, the kind of person you are, and ultimately how reliable you will be. And that promise of being able to rely on you for a job well done is what an employer is putting their faith in when they hire you. So, how do you go about getting a good reference…regardless of the circumstance that discolors a dubious job history? Sometimes the work situation was not your fault but affects your record. If this is the case, choose your reference providers with care.
If you can, do some volunteer work that will show you are reliable. You want to make a case for your potential reliability by showing how you have been reliable in the past and proving it with the testimony of those who worked with you in the project. If you must address the issue during your interview, avoid disparaging remarks about your previous employer and be professional in your representation. Point out your best accomplishments and the fact that you look forward to being more productive.
Diplomacy is professional and always impressive. You are showing in real time that you can be relied upon to do the best you can in any circumstance, and that puts you ahead of the pack.
Sometimes A Critic Is A Good Thing
Resumes
Okay, criticism does usually have a bad rap, but when you look at the definition of “critic” in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it reads like this —
a : one who expresses a reasoned opinion on any matter especially involving a judgment of its value, truth, righteousness, beauty, or technique
b : one who engages often professionally in the analysis, evaluation, or appreciation of works of art or artistic performances
Doesn’t that sound like a good thing? I think it does, particularly when you are talking about a resume or cover letter. A good resume and cover letter are truly works of art, the product of skill and technique. They put on a performance displaying your qualifications for a starring role: the job you are applying for. Wouldn’t you want to make sure your resume and cover letter passed the high standards of a professional critic? After all, another professional critic will be reading these documents and deciding whether or not you pass the test to get called in for an interview.
Why You Should Hire A Resume Critic
One of the best investments you can make is the Resume Critique because you are paying for a professional assessment of your resume (and cover letter, if you choose) by a certified resume writer. Certified resume writers earn that qualification by passing necessary tests and standards are high. A critic who is certified in their field counts as a professional in every sense of the term.
When a professional critic looks at your resume and cover letter in order to give you an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses along with a plan for improving those weak spots, that’s a good thing.
There comes a point in good interviews where the job applicant is asked, “do you have any questions for me?” This is a tipping point that can go in your favor if you show that you have researched the company and care about the job itself more than the paycheck or benefits. It doesn’t have to be scary, deer-in-the-headlight feeling, though. Here are three questions you can ask that will make you feel more confident during the Q&A part of the interview:
Ask a question that shows you know their mission statement. The company’s mission statement has usually been the result of a lot of research and debate. If they care about community service, for example, ask how they invest in the local community and are expected of volunteers. If they care about the environment, ask how they go about reducing their carbon footprint or the recycling program.
Ask a question that shows you care about results. What goals do you have for this job? What are the benchmarks and deadlines? What qualities would you say are important to filling this position successfully? The answers you get should be on your list of “make-sure-to-do-it” once you are hired, because you know that is what will be considered in your job performance review.
Ask a question that shows you want to understand their company culture. Does the company observe holidays with special traditions? Are there regular contests, like decorating competitions between departments? Does this company have any fun quirks that make it unique in workplaces? Every business will have its own culture and traditions, and it’s a good idea to find out if you’ll fit in, if possible. It also can be a good conversation item that puts you in a favorable light.
Interview questions are really important, and it’s a good idea to be prepared for all the possibilities that you could encounter during your job search. Both asking and answering questions is the bulk of what happens in a job interview. If you feel unprepared for what that will entail, consider one of our coaching services for individual help with interview skills. That job is worth it!
